To mix or not? (Red Maple and Sugar Maple)

[pamelance]

Hi everyone! I have a question:

I am tapping a combo of Red (50) and Sugar (20) Maples, with the goal to sell finished product. I have been struggling with this since before I tapped: do I combine the saps while waiting to boil or keep them separate and process separate batches??

I kept them separate last year (MUCH smaller quantities and ran at different times) and Red gave me a beautiful red hue syrup with a distinctly different flavor. On the grading scale, though, it would be considered Amber Grade.

Any thoughts and opinions are appreciated!

[lyford]

Ultimately its up to you. I have mostly reds, 80ish out of 100 taps, and I combine them. IMO I see no reason not too.

[Paddymountain]

I have about 90 reds and 275 sugars, I collect and boil them together. I think a blend of different trees from different locations
can make a very good flavor. All of my customers seem to really like my syrup, so I'll use that as the final judgement!!!

[littleTapper]

Combine! Sorry, I'm not in Michigan, so my vote probably doesn't count :) I mix silver, sugar, norway and 2 reds. Syrup is amazing and folks that have tried it agree.

[pamelance]

Cool, cool- thanks! It makes sense, too, from a storage standpoint.

[Snappyssweets]

I mix them too. Just easier.

[Run Forest Run!]

Mixing the sap is certainly just fine. Blends taste wonderful and are unique to your trees.

I do mixed runs and at least three different kinds of separate runs. Since you are planning to sell your syrup the idea of having more 'boutique batches' of single flavours might help to distinguish you from others in your area. That would give you additional product lines to sell and also give you more opportunities for discussion with your customers. At the end of the season you'll easily be able to tell how much interest there has been in your boutique batches and you can adjust your product line accordingly next year. From my personal experience everyone always wants to taste them all. Each year I have to hold back some of the single batches for myself or they'll all disappear.

[Galena]

Cool, cool- thanks! It makes sense, too, from a storage standpoint.

Yeah, exactly! Couple years back I tapped a 2nd bush and though only 6 taps, got enough sap to make it a PITA to keep/boil/finish. Never again. But, if I do go and tap some available Freemans nearby, then I'll chuck it in with mine. Otherwise will be my first year tapping only sugars.

[UPMaple]

Combining Sugar and Red Maple saps definitely creates a wonderful unique flavor.
Keep in mind though that Red Maples will bud earlier than Sugars. You don't want to mix buddy Red Maple Sap with Sugar Maple Sap.

[adk1]

Combining Sugar and Red Maple saps definitely creates a wonderful unique flavor.
Keep in mind though that Red Maples will bud earlier than Sugars. You don't want to mix buddy Red Maple Sap with Sugar Maple Sap.i agree with this statement. I tap about 60% sugars and 40% reds and I do watch the reds more closely towards the end of the season for budding. Once they look like they getting ready I start pulling those taps unfortunately for me that also means I have to stop using my sap puller because I use all clear cv2 spouts. I have tried using the plastic caps but still get leaks

[Jewdave]

Because of our small operation we mix and love the results. We do the black walnut separately though but it might make a unique blend by adding.

[Russell Lampron]

I tap mostly reds and I mix mine as well. I have gotten many compliments about how good my syrup taste. I have noticed that the season usually ends before buds become a problem.

[Cedar Eater]

[QUOTE=Russell Lampron;321124]I have noticed that the season usually ends before buds become a problem.[/QUOTE

When we added 3/16" natural gravity lines last year, they flowed until we got buddy sap. The trees that we had with drop tubes into bottles stopped flowing long before then.

[Russell Lampron]

[QUOTE=Russell Lampron;321124]I have noticed that the season usually ends before buds become a problem.[/QUOTE

When we added 3/16" natural gravity lines last year, they flowed until we got buddy sap. The trees that we had with drop tubes into bottles stopped flowing long before then.

All but one of my reds are on high vacuum. The reds are usually just about to pop when it warms up and stays warm long enough to pull the plug. Last season I could have gone for maybe a 1/2 day longer if I hadn't ran out of wood.