What to do with dark strong syrup?

[michiganfarmer]

I have about 10 gallons left of very dark, kinda strong syrup I bought from a woman in wisconson last year. I thought about pouring it in with raw sap, and running it through the evaporator again.

Any ideas?

[mapleman3]

when your boiling this season, if you make some light grade a, just blend some of it in to the dark to increase the grade of that dark/b ( or C) grade syrup.

just make sure it's extra of the light you want to put into the dark... it may lighten it but if there's off flavor in the dark you wouldn't want to waste the good light on it.

otherwise maybe just sell the dark as is to someone else whose looking for cooking grade syrup

[Jeff E]

I wouldn't cook it again. If you are sure it is well filtered, I would bottle it up in quarts and hang onto it for sale. I would think if you blended it with a lighter grade syrup, you would need lots of medium amber to make the mix into dark amber.

I have some customers who only want commercial grade. Some diets, fasts, and recipes call for it. Other just prefer it.

Sometimes folks buy it out of curiousity, I will display it along side medium and light amber, it can starts some interesting coversations.

[michiganfarmer]

It was pressure filtered. I'll can some up, display it, and see what people say.

Thanks

[Jeff E]

Hey Max, I enjoyed seeing the Pictures of your evaporators at work. I looks like the maple bug bit you pretty hard!

[michiganfarmer]

FYI

Bascom buys buddy syrup. I just found that out from Olds brothers maple syrup in 07. They sent a few barrels to Bascom. I dont know how much Bascom pays though.

[michiganfarmer]

Hey Max, I enjoyed seeing the Pictures of your evaporators at work. I looks like the maple bug bit you pretty hard!

OH YEAH! LOL Im a freak about it.

[3% Solution]

michiganfarmer,
I agree with Jeff E, I'd put it in some 1/2 gallons and some quarts.
I have one guy that wants nothing but "B" or darker.
That stuff is good for cooking stuff like beans, muffins, BBQ sauce.
Put the word out you've got some good stuff for cooking, you'll get rid of it.
Bascom's was paying good money for syrup, $3.50 to $4.00 a pound depending what is was, however, you've got to pay for shipping, there goes half your money.
Hope this helps.

Dave

[michiganfarmer]

That stuff is good for cooking stuff like beans, muffins, BBQ sauce.
Put the word out you've got some good stuff for cooking, you'll get rid of it.
Dave

That sounds like a geat idea! THank you

[Jim Brown]

"B" is the syrup that is on our table ,sell it same price as med amber.

Jim

[DaveB]

I agree with others who suggest packing it and selling it....it will sell. I have people ask all the time for grade B.

Dave

[Haynes Forest Products]

The guy whos woods I tap asked me for the GOOD stuff and I made 10 gallons of it the hard way almost burned my pans. I cooked it till it was almost 10 points over and left it 2 points over when I bottled it. I ran out of it first and cant get people to go with the light after tasting it. If you go to Tillinghast maple farms web site they have a (Special Blend) of syrup and they to bottle it 2 points over limited run of special syrup. That they say can form sugar crystles. I bet if you put out two bottles of syrup so people could both see the differance and they taste it they would go with the dark. I think the light is right Montra IS A CROCK OF ^*%^@$*&^%*^ and the average consumer likes thick dark heavey tasteing syrup.

[JohnsSugarShack]

I agree tho it is a preference. I've allways preferred the amber to darker syrup, has more taste. Before I started using a hydrometer I'd have some batches that would form the sugar crystals on the bottom of the jars. My kids loved it. I'd call it natures rock candy. And at the end of the season when I'd finish up usually that batch would be quit dark so I'd use that for cooking, mostly baked beans and ham. Just my 2 cents.

[Cardigan99]

Fry up some bacon and toss a few splashes in there. Out of this world!

[Bucket Head]

Most everybody I know around here, including myself, prefer the medium and dark grades. All but a few of my regulars prefer the darker grades, but will purchase the light if thats all I have, with no complaints.

As far as the color contest goes, dark wins all the time. Why? Because everyone is "conditioned" to go for that because of the store bought, used motor oil like consistancy and color of the fake stuff.

How many times have you had to explain the difference between your "thin" real syrup and the store bought "thick and dark" stuff?

More times than you can count, right?

Steve

[RileySugarbush]

Dark gets my vote every time. When I saw a student at Michigan Tech, they used to sell "Vermont Grade B" at the Keweenaw Coop. I didn't know what that meant but it was great. When I was cooking outdoors on my steam table pans, I could duplicate that flavor once in a while. Now, my 2x6 cooks too fast and makes only light and medium. Good, but not the same robust maple flavor.

[caseyssugarshack93]

I like the dark alot of people cook with the dark syrup i do and i use it with anything.

[michiganfarmer]

This syrup is not just dark. I like dark syrup. Its kinda bitter.

[3% Solution]

michiganfarmer,
A bit buddy you say?
Ahhhh good for cooking!!

Dave

[Haynes Forest Products]

OK so lets put our thinking caps on...... I have my 1/2 gallons of heavy dark 2 points over syrup and I have about 3/4 to 1" thick rock candy on the bottom of the glass bottle. Will the sugar content of the syrup continue to decrease past what should be normal syrup or does it stop at a certain point. I understand the once sugar crystals form it starts the cristalization prosses but ware does it stop? could I end up with syrup LITE better tasting less filling. No I havent tested it dont want to open and contaminate it no hydrometer here.

[michiganfarmer]

michiganfarmer,
A bit buddy you say?




I have tasted buddy sryp. I dont think this is buddy. It is however, a little bitter. It doesnt taste burnt. Im guessing it was boiled in an open pan with a wood fire and an open arch like on some cement blocks or something.

The last syrup I tasted like this was stuff I made with my granfather's open flat pan, and it had lots of wood ash in it.

[michiganfarmer]

michiganfarmer,
A bit buddy you say?
Ahhhh good for cooking!!

Dave

I'll advertise it that way


Good for cooking that is.

[michiganfarmer]

I just noticed the "fire wood chooper" under my name. Thats funny.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It gets added automatically by the trader, not neccessarily a rhyme or reason unless Jim or Clan want to explain.

[hard maple]

The way I understood it..
You start out as a firewood chopper
then maple enthusiast
then a maple addict
I think its relative to the number of posts you have under your belt.

[Jim Brown]

We had 20 below here in North west PA at 6:00am by three different thermometers here at my place It is only zero now and10:00am


Jim

[lpakiz]

Several of us had -28 Friday am. Glad to see it warm up to -10. Send some of that BALMY WEATHER TO WISCONSIN.

[brookledge]

Haynes
why do you want to bottle syrup that is over cooked?
Once you go past the red line on the hydometer you are going to get crystalization. In tern you begin to lose syrup. If you can in bulk and then want to recan into smaller containers you won't get out what you put in.
If you are looking to can darker stronger flavored then just can a lower grade.
Most consummers think they are getting shorted if there is alot of crystals on the bottom. I know some will break it up and eat it as rock candy but in general they don't
Keith

[Clan Delaney]

It gets added automatically by the trader, not neccessarily a rhyme or reason unless Jim or Clan want to explain.

I can indeed. While I haven't seen the designations for this site, I've worked for another site that does the same. The Admin can create (up to 10, I think) kitschy names for different levels of post-ed-ness. Think of it as freshman, sophomore, junior.... based on the time you spend here posting. The length of the post has nothing to do with it.

hard maple, I think there's a "firewood loader" in there somewhere...