yellow sap

[judgejp]

Anyone else out there get some crazy yellow sap from today and yesterday? The wind has been crazy, not sure if thats why?

[maple flats]

No, I hope the sap couldn't have been sabotaged.

[Buffalo Plaid]

I wonder if all the wind we had might have opened up a crack exposing the sap to some dead wood.

[judgejp]

Its all back to clear. Was just one run, maybe 70% of buckets had some yellowing, one was like mustard! We didn't have any precipitation and it wasn't warm. I've had a few over the years that run yellow for a day or too but never this many at once. Heck , once I even had purple sap from one tap!

[RC Maple]

That's pretty normal to see from season to season. When it occurs, always at the end of run, a tap or two will have yellow sap. Once they get going again the sap clears up. I've never seen purple though and I have never had many taps do that at once either.

[judgejp]

Yep, ive had the occasional end of run, or rain induced yellow but never in such a high percentage of buckets. It tasted and smelled fine when I processed it so no idea. Coincidently I had one bucket yesterday that ran purple.22261

[BCPP]

Had a few occasional buckets with yellowish sap. Usually back to clear the next day. Never figured out the cause! I did have 5 buckets once that were bright green that had me totally confused until I found a green piece of candy on side of the last bucket! Guess some kid wanted to see what would happen! Dont know what type of candy it was but it dissolved fast in cold sap! Luckily I'd already decided to throw out those buckets or I'd likely have had green tinged syrup!

[judgejp]

Heres another purple bucket. One side of the sugar maple, the other side perfectly clear. Different tree than last . Both full buckets! 22275

[therealtreehugger]

I have never had purple sap! I'm thinking easter egg dying??

Seriously, I have had red-tinged sap, and I believe it is just bacteria. It usually happens when there is only a small amount of sap in the bucket. I'm going to guess your purple sap is also bacteria. Having said that, I keep it unless it is really redish.

[judgejp]

Thats just one days run, and now its back to clear. It was only out for the day so I doubt bacteria had enough time to develop in the bucket.