Cloudy sap?

[Michigan Maples]

Rookie question please. Knew our season was ending this weekend, and thought I would empty the buckets one more time and found what I collected was somewhat cloudy. I recall learning that once it goes cloudy we're done, but is this batch of sap useable? Dave

[John c]

Put a couple cups of the sap in a small pot on your stove and boil it to see how it smells.

[Ausable]

It is probably ok. If You have a sap hydrometer - check the sugar content. The warmer weather changes sap quicker. I have had sap turn yellow and I would dump on the ground and the tree would clear up again and be ok with sugar content. You should be ok with cloudy sap. This is an area where there are many opinions. If it is not yellow or stringy and doesn't stink and has sugar in it - I would boil. If it stinks when boiling - that is another issue. You should get several replies on this one - I would boil it.

[Ed R]

If your that far north your fine. I'm boiling sap at the state line from all soft maples and it is still good. Sap always gets a little cloudy at the end of the season.

[Michigan Maples]

Thanks so much for the quick replies! I didn't realize this might be an issue of some debate. I'm interested in what other replies this might get, but I'll go ahead and boil it keeping it separate from the rest of the batch for now. It's not all that much, but I'd love to get another quart of syrup if I can. Thanks!

[Ed R]

You will get a darker stronger flavored syrup.

[John c]

You will get a darker stronger flavored syrup.
Which to me is a beautiful thing!

[Ravenseye]

I had cloudy sap early in the week but it's running clear now. I boiled it all and it was fine.

[Michigan Maples]

I had cloudy sap early in the week but it's running clear now. I boiled it all and it was fine.

Thanks..........I left the buckets out, the next two days are supposed to be ideal temps again. I'd love to get just a little more so that we can share this stuff with friends. You just can't buy what we're making in any store.