Strange colored sap

[Twin Chimneys Syrup]

I got a golden color sap from my buckets on Sunday. They had been sitting maybe three days and were pretty full but had ice which I removed. When I poured them into my big bucket I noticed the color. Within a few minutes from being poured into the bigger bucket the sap was a bit cloudy, which normally means bad sap, right? It wasn't cloudy in the buckets thought. I want to boil the 15 gallons I got this week just donknownif I should or should I just call it quits? I don't want it to be over maybe just a bad spell.

Also sugar content seems to be a bit higher than normal, a little over 2% most likely because I took the ice out? Not complaining haha

[wnybassman]

Any chance of a little rain water in there? Doesn't take much to tint it a little

[Twin Chimneys Syrup]

Maybe I did have some sleet and wind during that time. Which is why I didn't bother with it much.

[maple flats]

Anything that got in from rain water will filter out. As long as the sap doesn't smell like boiling dirty socks when you boil it, the syrup will be OK but likely darker color. If it smells like dirty socks you hit the end, buds have opened. Best not to boil it in with some you already have boiled, even a little buddy sap can ruin a whole batch of good syrup.

[billyinvt]

I notice that when I have ice in my buckets my sap is kinda tan colored. I figure this is because some of the water has been removed and so we are on our way to syrup, which is some shade of brown. Smell it, stick your finger in and taste it. Your other senses should tell if it should be dumped.

[Twin Chimneys Syrup]

I'm glad I didn't dump any of it! It tasted and smelled fine a bit more sugary if anything, and aren't any buds yet so it sounds like I'll give it a boil and wait for dirty sock smell or not. I'm used to very clear sap so far and I havnt let it freeze in the buckets before emptying them. Thank you for the insight!

[grapestomper]

Maybe you got a little tint from the bark. I have had that a few times.

[Twin Chimneys Syrup]

Rain could have easily ran down the tree then on the tap and in which would make sense too. I didn't keep track of which buckets were more colored, but I do have a couple trees that have very dark bark from weeping over the years up high.