Birch Syrup

[twigbender]

I hope I don't speak evil words here on the maple forum, but I have a question for your consideration: Have you ever tapped birch trees? I have talked to two people here in No. Minnesota that have. One said that she'd never, ever do it again, the other said it was good stuff although it required a lot more sap.
What kind of experiences do you guys have? I've got a lot of birch in my neck of the woods and I understand that it runs a little later than the maples do. Would you bother to mess around with it?
Thanks,

[peacemaker]

i have been wanting to try it ... i have read sometimes its lower sugar content and a bitter more bitter less sweet i have read though if u take the syrup a bit passed and mix in seltzer makes birch beer i do that with the maple and sometimes mix in so half and half yum

[jemsklein]

Check out this website http://www.birchboy.com/articles.html

[rschoo]

Check out my thread in the Tapping Michigan section.

[Gary R]

Sorry Maple gods. I'll add to the birch question. I made birch syrup, wine and beer last year. The link James posted is excellent. I gathered all I could from the Alaskan's. I have sweet (black) birch. I didn't have any hydrometers last year so i"ll be checking sap content this year. Trees run later, strong, and for a shorter season. The sugars in birch are fructose and have a lower burning point. Syrup was going well until the very end when I burnt it. I did have a pint of 100% syrup and a pint of Alaska breakfast blend syrup (50% fructose syrup) sent to me to try. I definately perfer maple over birch. It was excellent over ice cream and worked well for cooking.

Wine was done by concentrating 15 - 20% and adding yeast, acid, tannin. My wife is demanding I make more this year (3gal.).

Beer with kick or NA, concentrated sap, can add honey for additional sugar and taste. Big thing is to steep the boiling beer over a pile of finely cut twigs in a pot. The smell and taste is excellent. I'll be bottling 8 - 10 gal. this year of varying recipe to try find what I like best. May add a dash of vanilla.

Give it a try! The taste might be for you.