Does early tapping affect syrup grade?

[Goggleeye]

Getting ready to tap here in Southeast MO, and have a question. I've noticed as I've tapped earlier and earlier over the past 6 years of making sugar (I've basically moved from a February 1 go date to January 1. And it seems that as I've tapped earlier, we've got less and less light syrup (although we've been able to make more before it gets warm). Is this something anyone else has noticed or is this just happenstance related to other conditions? 6 years of my own data doesn't really establish much, but I'm toying with the idea of holding off a couple weeks to try to get lighter syrup. Thoughts?

[buckeye gold]

I have been tapped for a couple weeks now and my syrup is a lot darker than usual. I usually start with vary light syrup. I have early tapped before around the first week of January and still made light syrup. This year is an experiment to see how early I can go. I do not think the sap is different, but the color is related to weather. Early runs are smaller and sometimes the weather swings wildly. So what happens to me is I end up holding 3-4 days of sap for a boil and if there is a really warm day the bacteria will start. Also sugar content is lower so the sap get's cooked longer. Once your sweet starts out darkened it seems all your syrup runs are darker until you flush the pans. I have drained the pan before and took a fresh run from new taps and presto made light syrup. I am in southern Ohio so our weather is likely close.

[brookledge]

The only thing I can think that might happen is that the bacteria will have more time in the tubing if you tap real early. Otherwise I don't think that tapping early is causing you to make dark syrup

[maple flats]

I suspect it has more to do with shorter boils and product setting in the pans longer. I've been into dark syrup before when a great run happens and the resulting longer boil has caused the syrup to revert to either light or medium, just barely darker than light.

[DrTimPerkins]

The only thing I can think that might happen is that the bacteria will have more time in the tubing if you tap real early. Otherwise I don't think that tapping early is causing you to make dark syrup

That is correct.

[Goggleeye]

Thanks for the input. That makes sense. I checked my records and we basically had a trickle of sap for at least a week and didn't have our first boil until about a week after we tapped. Other years seemed to produce lighter syrup if the first big sap was within a day or two of tapping. However, last year it was cold, and the sap collection barrels had ice in them most of the time for that slow first week,wouldn't that all but stop bacteria growth and metabolism?

Buckeye - you'll have to keep us posted on whether that extra early tapping pays off. You also mentioned flushing the pans for a fresh start - I'll have to give that a try. I usually drain the pans and clean them a couple times through the season, but I always put the concentrate back in the pans once it settles - I can't stand the thought of dumping any sweet!

[buckeye gold]

Oh no goggleeye never dump the sweet:( I save it and finish it off on a gas burner in a stock pot.