purple sap

[mfchef54]

ok. I just dumped out some purple sap. actual the color reminded me of a melted purple popcicle. wrong tree, too deep? This tree looks like most of my young sugars and it was running so good in comparison to everything else. this is the second tree. so if there is an answer i belive in you traders.

[RileySugarbush]

I'd pull the spile and take a look at the inside of the tap hole. You may have tapped into a damaged or diseased part of the tree, or just above or below a nail or something. I've see early sap with a greenish cast, but I've never seen purple!

I wonder if other trees even run? Particularly others that could be mistaken as a maple family tree.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Sounds like someone is playing a trick on you.

[royalmaple]

I know what you did. Happens every once in a while.

You tapped a smurf.

[peacemaker]

now now keep it clean in here no tapping smurfs

[jemsklein]

Ok now if you tapped a Smurf it would be blue I think you taped a grape tree. :D :)

[oldemaple]

mfchef54,
I had the same thing happen many years ago. One tap's purple sap discolored the whole gathering tank's sap. I traced the purple sap back to one tap. I had put the tap into dead wood in a tree that died several years later.
Steve

[TapME]

maybe it was the boiling soda effect?

[gmcooper]

I had a couple trees a few years ago that always had purple color to sap. I thought it was from dead wood also and it could have been, but I know at least one year I made sure as i drilled to watch every peice of shaving come off the bit. One tree was roadside and on buckets. It never ran very well but it was on the way. I think I tapped it 3-4 years. I had a couple others that late in seasn would also give a purple tinted sap. I think one of the guys from UVM said it was from a mineral?

[RileySugarbush]

Could any of you taste anything funny with the purple sap? Or didn't you dare?

[TapME]

What kind of mineral would make it purple, copper of some kind or combination?

[gmcooper]

I don't remember what the mineral/s were that would give the color. I do remember some one else asked the question so I was not the only one to see it. I never did taste sap or use it for that matter. My thought would be that maybe a reaction between decaying wood and a mineral? Maybe I did not hit the dead wood but the sap could have traveled near enough to it?

[tapper]

I experience this with red maples and have never seen it on a sugar. A mineral has been brought up as the culprit here also. I know our soil is high in iron. Most of the water wells in this area run blood red and I have seen this red leaching out of the ground in places. If I tap a large amount of reds it will actually turn the filter cloths red or a purple tint. Haha I just thought it went along with the name.

[mfchef54]

Thanks for the info. yes i tasted it and it tasted like regular sap. I also took another look at the tree and it is a red. I checked the tap hole and it looks clean and i did get white wood out. on the bright side it's good to know there are no smurfs living on our property lol
thanks again to everyone

[mfchef54]

tapper
than I take it that it does not effect the syrup?

[argohauler]

I get purple sap from soft maples quite often, but only early in the season. It's never affected the syrup.

[Sugarmaker]

Could you use that sap to boil some EASTER eggs form Jim (mapleman3's) Chickens?:) Just trying to help!

Chris

[VA maple guy]

I had two taps on reds that ran purple the same day. That was the only day they ran purple. I though someone was messing with them so I dumped it out. Now I read this thread about purple sap. I learnd somthing new today.
Gerry

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I used to use the bark and or the leaves of Red maple to dye my fox traps. Turned them a nice dark purple color. Apparently a pigment in the tree.

[tapper]

tapper
than I take it that it does not effect the syrup?

The 1st 2 years I tapped all red mapes. The first low volume runs of the season made syrup with and off flavor and odor. The odor was detected in the steam. Just as soon as we had high volume sap runs the syrup went to good flavor but shortly after that the sugar content dropped to where I was boiling 100 to 1.

The 3rd season I went to all sugar maples with only a few reds that give a constant high volume of sap the entire season. For the amount of reds that are on my prorerty there are only a few that I have found so far that give a good volume of sap.

I have also found syrup quality on the sugar maples is better once the weather is right for large volume sap runs but the 1st syrup is way better on the sugars than the reds. There is a slighlty different taste to syrup made with all red maple sap. My wife doesnt like it and I have had a few customers tell me they wont buy from me if I tap reds.

[mfchef54]

sap has returned to normal color after second day. since i have a mix of sugars and reds it doesn't seem to be making a difference. at least the people I have given it to are asking for more. do have to start selling this stuff. broke 7 gallon mark today.