Why the Grade B?

[SeanD]

My first year making syrup using a wash tub literally on top of an open hole with a fire in it, I was able to make a batch of the lightest, sweetest stuff I had ever tasted, followed by a dark amber batch, and finished the season with a batch of B.

Last year, I upgraded my setup with a SS flat pan set up on blocks and vented through a stack in the back and got two batches of Dark Amber. This year I upgraded further by tightening up the front with a door, making a simple preheater, adding two steam pans as syrup pans, ladling my way over, and ladling off near-finished syrup over the course of the boils. Yet, this year I produced nothing but Grade B syrup from my first to my last batch. Nothing lighter, nothing darker. All delicious, but a rich mahogany color.

What gives? The sap through the entire season was a consistent 2.3%. I had never tested it in previous seasons. How much of this is "take what the trees give you" and how much is technique? If it is mostly technique, I've got to get another wash tub!

Sean

[mapleman3]

How long did you hold the sap before boiling it?? I have been making medium the whole time.. some light just at the begining but thats it.. while alot of guys I know are making only light.... it's the tress, the area, the weather, your collection system... could be all....I'm all on buckets this year only a week on my vacuum and that may have something to do with it for me... who knows... tastes great though ......

[royalmaple]

You've finally hit the all time high. Making extra dark is a sign of a real sugarmaker. Now you have something worth putting on your pancakes!!

[SeanD]

Seriously, I love the stuff too and so do the people I give it to. The light and fancy from a couple years ago wasn't as big a hit. I ended up making some candy with it.

I'm selling my syrup now, though and I can't help but worry that people are going to think they are getting an inferior product. I know WE know otherwise, but I'm not sure about the average consumer.

I keep the sap in plastic barrels buried in ice and snow. It's not ideal, but it's the best I can do with my "real" job. It's the same technique I've used right along, though. It keeps the sap frozen or close to it and it just has to get me to the weekend when I can boil.

In fact that first year, I was bringing snow over from a neighbor's snowbank with my wheelbarrow b/c we didn't have that much that year. It was melting faster than I could pile it on. This year I was able to stand on snow next to the lip of the barrel because we had so much snow this year.

[Pete33Vt]

I might be wrong but I think that the state is trying to give more info to people on the different grades of syrup and letting them know what each grade means as far as flavor color etc. I was in one store yesterday and by the syrup display they had a full page color add describing the differances. Maybe you could do the same so people will want the darker syrup. I know it doesn't help you make lighter syrup but maybe you can get a customer base that wants dark stuff.

[Amber Gold]

I agree that the darker stuff is better, but if all you have to do to get it darker syrup is let it sit out for the bacteria to get to it, why aren't more people doing that? I think the fancy and light are the sign of a good sugar maker (clean process, taking care of his system, etc.), but it doesn't have as much flavor.