Low sugar content for the year?

[jamesd14]

Ok so the season is over, who out there is good with math, I collected 430 gallons of sap this year on 46 taps, made 6 gallons of syrup most was medium amber the last gallon batch was dark amber. If my math is correct it was a 70-1 ratio, that is pretty low sugar content in sap right? Last year was much better.

[Run Forest Run!]

James, your sap had an average sugar count of approximately 1.2%. You were at a 71.6:1 ratio. That's pretty brutal, but good for you for sticking with it! :)

[jamesd14]

Last year was first year, only 10 taps and 200 gallons of sap almost four gallons syrup. This year of the 46 taps 10 were reds the rest sugars.

[Russell Lampron]

It seems that the sugar content is low throughout the maple region this year. I have had a couple of boils where the sap was 2% but most were lower. The sap I collected yesterday was 1.1%. Thankfully I have an RO and the 74 to 1 ratio so far this week wasn't noticeable in the evaporator.

[maplestudent]

I have boiled roughly 365 gallons so far on my barrel stove setup. I have 3.75 gallons finished and bottled and another gallon or so that is not quite finished. If I get the full gallon after filtering it, I'll be at about 76:1. I usually average out at about 50:1. All of my syrup grades at very dark/strong taste

[Burnt sap]

Ouch! 76:1 And I thought 38:1 was rough.

[Clinkis]

My sap usually averages slightly over 3%. This year it's been 2.1%-2.4%. I'm still greatful for any sap this year with the wacky winter and just makes me even more greatful for the RO.

[rhwells2003]

I think for the most part its like this across the board except for the few that are experiencing normal sugar contents. Last year I was between 2-3% all year. This year I've been 1.4-1.7% BUT getting more of it this year. So who knows.

[motowbrowne]

A little low here. We usually start the season at 3.5-3.9 in the tank. This year it was around 3.2. One tree near the evaporator usually puts it out at 4.8-5.2% it was at 3.9% when I checked out.

[jamesd14]

Those are great numbers, I would love to be in the 3's.

[woodchuck]

My buckets can run near 3.0 and my line taps avg 1.8-2.0. This year has been a different story. My line sugar has struggled between 1.5-1.8......ugh!
I hope the weekend cool down breaths new life into my trees.

BTW, I use the “Tapping tools” app on my phone. It does quick calculations that help when I’m logging sap.
My 2¢

[Mitchell tapper.]

Mine also was 70-1. Two prior years were around 40-1. I did switch to tubing and a pump this year. I don't have enough experience to know if the tubing was a factor.

[Cedar Eater]

Last year I thought I was doing pretty good with a 40:1. This year it has been a pretty consistent 58:1. I don't measure the sap sugar content, because I'm just going to boil all of it regardless. Maybe next year I'll have enough sap that I'll want to keep the higher sugar and give away the lower.

[saphound]

I tested my trees separately a couple weeks ago, all on buckets with drop tubes. One was 2.6 and all others barely over 1. All sugar maples...sure would like to know why that is, it's p'n me off.

[boondocker]

I have had one run at 2.0%, every other run this whole season has been between 1.0 to 1.8......I have burned a ton of wood this year and I'm only at 1/2 to 3/4 crop. If we have another two weeks I will be trading product for firewood to keep boiling. This year has been a rough one!

[regor0]

My first boil this year was 1.5%, last year it .86%. I was extremely happy. Hope it gets better.

[1220']

Same here I've made just under 10 gallons on my barrel evaporator finishing up this week hoping to have 12 gallons.
Some where around 65-75 gallons to one.
A lot of wood.

[adk1]

I tested my trees separately a couple weeks ago, all on buckets with drop tubes. One was 2.6 and all others barely over 1. All sugar maples...sure would like to know why that is, it's p'n me off.i hear you there brother. My tubing is 5 years old now and don't have stainless tanks. I got a good run of sap today. All sap goes into a tote tank. I drew a sample off from the bottom of the tank and it read .8%. I then drew right off the mainline and it said 1.5%. Needless to say the longer the sap stays in the tank the more sugar is getting consumed by bacteria, it's all I can think of for what is happening

[maplestudent]

I have boiled roughly 365 gallons so far on my barrel stove setup. I have 3.75 gallons finished and bottled and another gallon or so that is not quite finished. If I get the full gallon after filtering it, I'll be at about 76:1. I usually average out at about 50:1. All of my syrup grades at very dark/strong taste

I ended up with a little more from that unfinished batch than I thought I would, so my ratio is actually 71:1. Good thing I have plenty of wood this year.