All Dark Syrup Last Year

[llew.williams]

Question. Anybody have an idea why all my syrup was dark last year? I've been making syrup for 18 years. Never saw a year like that. Of course it was extremely cold and I made syrup later than ever before. It just wouldn't warm up. Anything to watch out for? I moved to new farm last year. New evaporator. Excellent stand of Sugar Maples. I'm small time. Only tapped 47 last year. Made 20 gallons syrup. May get bigger next year. Need bigger evaporator. Divorce set me back last year. But I'm making syrup. That's good. Can't wait to get started.
Thanks

[StayinLowTech]

I'm anything but an expert, but I also had no Fancy, started with Med. and quickly went to Dark. Did everything the same as the previous years when I made all grades.

[lakeview maple]

Started with a nice dark amber and stayed there almost the whole season,then went to b grade for the last 10 gallons.

[maple flats]

Most reports showed that there was more dark last year than usual across the board.

[argohauler]

Well I was the opposite last year. Started with light. I've only made light 2 other years in 20. Made a lot of medium, a small amount of amber and a decent amount of dark. I thought it was because of the colder season that I made lighter syrup.

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

What Kind of an evaporator you have?

[Potters3]

I am boiling on all leader equipment, Vortex and Revolution max pans, I do run a r/o to 8%, we made 470 gallons last year 1 barrel was Dark the rest was light or medium. I am not bragging we have boiled here for 3 years most of our syrup made is light (new Golden). The problem with that a lot of my customers want dark amber.

[Russell Lampron]

A lot of producers in the area made mostly dark syrup last season. I built a bubbler for my evaporator and made mostly medium last season. The B that I did make had a flavor more like dark amber and I heard that that was also a trend for last season. Don't get upset about making dark syrup. That's what the customers want and I have never had a problem selling it.

[llew.williams]

Leader Half Pint

[Maplesapper]

Question. Anybody have an idea why all my syrup was dark last year? I've been making syrup for 18 years. Never saw a year like that. Of course it was extremely cold and I made syrup later than ever before. It just wouldn't warm up. Anything to watch out for? I moved to new farm last year. New evaporator. Excellent stand of Sugar Maples. I'm small time. Only tapped 47 last year. Made 20 gallons syrup. May get bigger next year. Need bigger evaporator. Divorce set me back last year. But I'm making syrup. That's good. Can't wait to get started.
Thanks

That seems spectacular. Almost 1/2 gallon of finished syrup per tree. We get far less than that up here in Ontario.

[Clinkis]

I wish that was the case here. I made almost all light and medium with a little dark near the end of the season. As others have mentioned, everyone wants the dark syrup and it's usually a lot more flavourful. I always have a harder time getting rid if my light syrup and its usually the last to go.

[Ravenseye]

I make a very small amount compared to everyone here but mine was darker too. I got a little bit of a late start due to me not paying enough attention and a new job that adds an hour to my commute each way. The season was very short. Seemed like as soon as I got started, the trees were budding out. My syrup early on was on the darker side and by the end, was very dark. I also added a turkey fryer to the mix so I think my batches were bigger and were exposed to heat longer than in the past and I'm pretty certain the long contact time contributed to the dark syrup. Tasted good though!

[RC Maple]

I am glad someone asked about that. I don't know that my syrup was really dark last year but it was all pretty much the same from start to finish. Usually the darkening can be seen from one batch to the next but last year they were all about the same. I would love to say what my first batch looked like this year but still waiting for the forecast to improve.

[llew.williams]

That is 47 trees, but close to 80 taps. There are some really big old Sugar Maples here.