Any health concerns using off/buddy flavor syrup for cooking

[4010]

I have silver maples that are budding and the syrup has started to be off flavor the sap is still clear it is edible just not as good and the smell is not sweet when boiling.Are there any health concerns using it for cooking trying to decide if I should quit or keep going.

[DrTimPerkins]

I have silver maples that are budding and the syrup has started to be off flavor the sap is still clear it is edible just not as good and the smell is not sweet when boiling.Are there any health concerns using it for cooking trying to decide if I should quit or keep going.

Are the buds actually opening or just they look bigger?

Either way, it won't hurt you.....just tastes terrible.

[4010]

They are opening bushy looking and white color growth.

[4010]

11312
Here's a picture the buds had just opened on some trees then the next morning we had 20 degrees. Sap flowed good and made some good syrup before off flavor.Thank you for the info.

[maple flats]

Those buds ARE opened. You may want to try making maple sugar with it, generally the heat to convert it to sugar actually removes the buddy flavor or at least a good % of it.

[PerryW]

those look way past the point of making decent syrup. years ago I tried making candy out of buddy syrup and all it made nothing but terrible tasting candy.

[4010]

I did get some good tasting syrup yesterday. The sap flowed very good last 2 days hoping to get another good batch tonight.

[tbear]

I'm going to step out on a limb here. What you are looking at are the flower buds. There's a previous thread talking about this same phenomena. Is the "off tasting" syrup darker? The reason I ask is that for years, literally years, I was beset with off tasting syrup that would mysteriously come and go. What I found in my case was the syrup was FINE. The only thing was the "off tasting" syrup was a darker grade! Seems at the time my preference was towards lighter syrup. I actually traded samples with a guy and he reassured me that the syrup was good, that my perception of how syrup should taste might be off (I'm kinda putting words in his mouth so...) anyway, the question remains. Is the "off" syrup darker? By the way, once I found out that my syrup was okay, I found that I'm tending to prefer the darker grades. Go figure! I hope your "problem" wqas as simple as mine. Good luck and have fun, Ted

[tbear]

I'm boiling even as I type so I had to cut it short. The previous thread is titled "Tree budding question". If your process is good and you haven't changed anything I might be right. However, everyone who knows me will tell you I'm a moron. Take it all with a grain of salt! Ted

[4010]

I don't think its the different grades I kept some sap separate from some young trees thinking it would be better because buds were smaller the syrup is the lightest I made this year and the worst tasting. one other thing is the smell of the sap when its boiling is off not sweet at all when I get the off flavor.

[tbear]

I'm sorry to hear that. Ted