End of Year Syrup

[SUGARSMITH]

At the end of two different years, this year and in 06, the last boil of the season produced the lightest syrup. I don't get it. I understood that the beginning of the year should be lightest and darken through the season. Is it that my cleaning technique for the tubing is inadequate ? Maybe the sap in the beggining of the year flushes out crud from the year before ? Seems odd to me

Any Ideas ?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

That is the exception and not the rule for the normal producer, the lightest is usually the first of the season or soon after and later in the season it is darker due to higher bacteria count in the tubing, tanks, higher temps, etc.

If you are not flushing your tubing, then you may be right, but I still wouldn't think that would be it?

[ziggy]

Sugarsmith, the end of year syrup did it have bite to it when you tasted it? Sometimes when the acid level gets high enough in the sap the bacteria can't grow and you make very light syrup at the end of the season, but it usually has a pretty good bite to it.