Is it over

[mountain maple llc]

Boiled syrup today and was horrified with the taste. Little to no maple flavor and very dark. I had noticed some of the trees budding with our warm weather. Is the season over for me?

[madmapler]

Sounds like it unless you boiled sap that was hanging around for a while. Things may improve after this cold spell.

[mountain maple llc]

Thanks Sean. Spent a lot of time as a kid in Halifax. Nice area.

[John c]

Although I think there is still another good run to come, I decided to pull my taps just because I want to get everything cleaned up and put away.
All the Reds here are popping buds, but the sap is still nice and clear.

[slammer3364]

I think the way the weather forecast looks we should be good for a couple weeks. Just come in from boiling,syrup is dark but taste great---real mapley taste we will see I guess

[bowtie]

Might have gotten into metabolism , had this happen to me a few years ago and I can still smell the nastiness from it. With the up and down weather we have experienced I am surprised that more have not had this happen this year. It usually clears and later sap can be fine. If the sap was buddy your season is pretty much over. from what i understand, the chemical processes once begun for the year do revert back even with cold weather like we are experiencing now.

[Bowser]

Here in NH we have had a great drought. Our syrup was dark and very rich in taste last run a week ago. No water I think has a big role in the run this year. Buds on trees too.

[Sugarbush Ridge]

Here sap stopped 4 weeks ago but buds haven't popped. This week is calling for what would have been good sap weather at the first,,, mid February. I hadn't pulled taps just in case I could get some off off sap to ferment clean pans.

[Russell Lampron]

Before I put a bubbler in my evaporator I used to make very dark syrup with light syrup flavor because it was caramelizing in the flue pan. That was because I was concentrating to 18% with my RO. The bubbler solved that problem but now I've got another one. All I make is golden and amber now. So far this season I have made 77 gallons of syrup, all golden! There is still plenty of season left, leave the taps ion and see what you get.

[AdirondackSap]

No the season is not over. Im in whitehall 5 miles away. Still making great tasting syrup. We still have more time especially with this cold. Yoy probably boiled some old sap sitting around.

[Jmsmithy]

Had metabolism on first boil last year and first this year. Last year tapped in sweatpants and tee shirt on 60* day in Feb. sap ran few days later but got warm in middle of run, didn't even freeze at night....was horrible. Chocolate milk color and taste like moldy corn with notes of butter. Little to No maple flavor. This year had two 50* days mid run with no freeze at night. This time syrup had an initial nasty bite to it then same flavor from last year. What stinks is you don't know it until you're almost to syrup...can't tell from sap. Great way to waste a lot of wood!

[saphound]

I don't think it's over yet but it sure has been a crazy season so far weatherwise. This is just my 3rd year, but they've all been different.
I have about 70 gals of sap collected for a week now but due to high winds I haven't boiled anything yet. Now it's froze again for the second time and supposed to get a big snowstorm Tuesday. No above freezing temps in sight either this upcoming week. It's like we're just dead in the water for now. :mad:

[Sugarbush Ridge]

Season has been over for more than a month. Worst season ever. Only about 12 gals and all very dark.

[mountain maple llc]

Thank you for all your input. I must have had bad sap to cause the bad taste. Just finished up another batch today and it tastes excellent.

Roy