Almost no "maple" flavor

[RIFoster]

Last year I ended up with about 5 pints of syrup, all of which was sweet and good tasting, but had little "maple" flavor. I have almost exclusively red maples. Do some trees have less or more taste than the others?

[Ravenseye]

Yes, I seem to find that to be true. My syrup (from a variety of maples) tastes a little nutty and buttery. Later in the season it changes. It also differs depending on how long I boil it before finishing.

[RIFoster]

This was mostly just like a simple syrup, boiled down to a sort of carmel color and the consistency of maple syrup.

[rayi]

Are you sure you had syrup. Most small producers don't have a hydrometer and sometimes using temperature can be off.

[crazyjackcsa]

I tap reds as well. My syrup has always had a lighter flavour. The first year I used math to decide when I had boiled it enough. The second year I used math and a little bit of experience from the year before. The third year I used a thermometer. This year I'm using a hydrotherm.

Each year my syrup got a little more maple flavour to it. The first year I also finished in batches, and you could see the colour change. Since then I've boiled all my runs down to close to finished, and then I finish them all together.

I have a pretty small set up, just 17 taps, so you may not be able to do the same as me.

I've always had syrup that's been lighter in flavour and colour that what you can buy from producers. I actually prefer it.

[RIFoster]

Are you sure you had syrup. Most small producers don't have a hydrometer and sometimes using temperature can be off.

It was brown, and thick. Like syrup. One batch had an almost honey-like consistency when cooled (overboiled obviously). Crazyjackcsa might be onto something, might just be my trees.

[slammer3364]

I have almost Reds also Early boils are generally lite and look and taste great. The later in the year it gets the more maple flavor it has,which I actually prefer

[RIFoster]

I have almost Reds also Early boils are generally lite and look and taste great. The later in the year it gets the more maple flavor it has,which I actually prefer

Great stuff. I thought you couldn't use the sap after the buds came out? My trees all have those little red tips on them now.

[bigschuss]

Great stuff. I thought you couldn't use the sap after the buds came out? My trees all have those little red tips on them now.

Reds have those buds all winter. It's one sure way to tell sugar maples from reds.

[Cedar Eater]

I have only red maples and the syrup so far tastes much like butter and honey with just a hint of maple. The shallower I keep the liquid when boiling, the more maple flavor it seems to have, but it all tastes great.