Syrup lacking any smell

[jdircksen]

I haven't been able to find anything about syrup with no smell on here. I'm not sure what's going on. When I first started this batch (80 gallons of 2% sap) it gave off the normal sweet smell. But as it boiled, I noticed that there really isn't any smell. This batch is almost done now and still doesn't smell like anything. It tastes fine to me, but no smell.

I've been reading about "metabolic sap" but I don't think it's ever smelled or tasted like wet cardboard. My silvers could be budding, but it doesn't smell like dirty socks.

Any ideas what is going on?

[buckeye gold]

you'll know when you taste the syrup. It will have an after taste, but you need to tate it cold

[DrTimPerkins]

If it was metabolized syrup, you're surely know something was very wrong.

How light is the syrup (grade)? Really light syrup has very delicate flavor/odor profiles.

[Russell Lampron]

That's pretty much a normal condition. When I sweeten the pans on my evaporator the steam from the hot sap smells really good until it gets close to syrup. When it's close to syrup the smell is still there but nowhere near as intense as it was when the thermometer was just starting to climb above boiling.

[n8hutch]

Is your sniffer just getting used to the smell/aroma of that sweet syrup? Ever been to a Dairy farm, you pull in the driveway and it's like how is that smell of manure and feed so pungent, 15 minutes later you don't even notice it anymore. But when you get home your wife tells you to get those clothes off because she can smell you in the driveway.

[jdircksen]

Thanks for the replies. I think everyone is correct. I made another batch a couple days later and still no smell, but it tastes great and has a nice amber color. I'm 1 month into my season and there is a good chance I've just sniffed enough steam and my nose is turned off. I know my throat is a little burned from tasting all the syrup.