Grading Standards

[Amber Gold]

Any thought given to standardizing the grading standards between the US and Canada? At least at the state level? I think it’s odd the standards aren’t the same between states. Also what about changing the designations for different grades. Instead of having a Grade A LA, MA, and DA; Grade B; and commercial. Why not have it just Fancy (if needed), Light amber, Medium Amber, Dark Amber, Extra Dark Amber, and commercial. Remove the Grade A and B label completely. I think this, or something similar, would be beneficial to the consumer and fairer to the producer.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Josh,

You hit the nail on the head and I can't agree with you more. I don't use the Grade B thing as I would think it sounds more like and inferior product to the consumer unless they know what it means.

Everything but C or Commercial is table grade in my opinion and should be labeled that way.

[Brent]

There are in fact both Federal and Provincial grades in Canada and when we picked up our grade stickers from our dealer just a couple days ago he told us there were talks in progress now and we should have an announcement very soon that the grades in Canada and the US have been standardized.

[Amber Gold]

Will I have to buy a new grade set? Will the colors stay the same and they'll just standardize what they call it? I wasn't sure if currently the colors are standardized across the board they just call it something different depending where you are.

[Brent]

new grade kit ??? who knows ??

I guess it depends on what standard gets adopted.

Most grade kits are only color stabile for 1 to 2 years and should be replaced regularly anyway ... unless you blow your brains and bank account and get a permanent kit.

Wouldn't you feel great if you just paid hundreds for a permanent kit and they make new standards next year.

[Russell Lampron]

In NH to grade your syrup properly you are supposed to buy the USDA permanent grade set. The VT temporary kit is only good for a quick comparison or for selling bulk in this state.

I like Joshes idea of getting rid of the grade B stigma. It is not an inferior product, in my opinion it is the better product.

[brookledge]

In my opinion it won't happen any time soon. each state has it's preference and nobodys wants to give in. The last I had heard was the NAMSC had a sub committee working on it but as I said until states and providences are willing to give up terms like Fancy or extra or B etc. there won't be any standardization.
My personal feeling is that more emphasis should be put on the taste. If it is dark but has a great flavor then who cares. The problem then becomes how do you create a standard for taste testing.
Keith

[Amber Gold]

Ummm..yeah...I dropped $125 on a USDA kit and don't want to buy another.

My thoughts exactly. I think my best syrup was a B, and was my best selling. The DA I made did taste really good though.

Keith, my thinking exactly...too much room for bias opinions. Only consistent way I can see is by color. What is NAMSC?

[brookledge]

josh
North American Maple Syrup Council
and there is also the IMSI (International Maple Syrup Institute)
Keith

[Uncle Tucker]

Tall Maples Sugar House will no longer be selling grade “B” syrup. It’s not that I don’t make B, I just will call it Extra Dark Amber instead. The reason is, B is just as good as or even better than lighter syrup and calling it B cheapens it. I don’t need the Government telling me how to market my syrup. Just so Johnny Law doesn’t come snooping around I probably put a B sticker on the bottom but it will be advertised as Extra Dark Amber.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im with Uncle Tucker sell what people are buying and to hell with the some YeaHo at the state capital. I cooked some great looking steaks the other night and my son in law wanted his well done.......Yuck but he's the one eating it so as he said to his Father in law *&^&*%^ if you dont like it.
I think the more people Market it as Special Dark or what ever and it catches on and people ask for it what right does someone have to tell us we cant sell it as such....................opps never mind I remember I got my Butt chewed on this site for sticking up for B grade

[KenWP]

Far as I can tell my dark syrup is better then the thin clear stuff I have to buy in cans around here. I even found some cans that said medium and it was so light it was hard to see it on the pancakes. If it tastes good why cheapen it with a lower class name like B grade.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The grading stanards based on color is ridiculous to some extent anyways. Flavor needs to be taken into consideration. The B syrup I made this year, a whole 4 gallons has a wonderful flavor and not even the little bit of strongness that B sometimes has. Some of these guys make Light at the end of the season that a dog wouldn't eat. I know most of it probably gets sold as C due to flavor, but some probably manage to get paid higher prices for it when it is about like mersh.

There could be a grading system based mostly on flavor with color being a factor too if people were honest, but that's the problem and thus why we are stuck with what we have.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

Same way down here, most people don't know the difference, they just want good quality maple syrup. When they taste the different ones, most like dark the best.

[Russell Lampron]

On maple weekend all I had out on my table for people to buy was NH Fancy. That's good or should I say great flavored mersh that I can label as grade B. almost everyone that came to the open house bought and it was in Quart and larger sizes. There were a couple of customers that asked about the grade B but after they had a taste they bought anyway.

[royalmaple]

I wonder if there is any correlation(sp) to syrup taste and PH level?

Maybe the bitter commercial stuff would have a lower ph lets say and that would be a non biased way to grade it. Or as the syrup got darker it had an increase or decrease in PH? Maybe not.

I think the whole color thing is a scam anyway. I'm glad in Maine we don't have to call it grade B, just extra dark. Which is a better classification in my mind. It is extra dark. And more people ask for that than anything else.

[gmcooper]

Just reading and catching up on this thread. At least here in Maine and probably most states with grade laws along with the color the flavor has to be good and appropriate in order to be legally labled. Grading on taste would be impossible. We have had visitors sampling syrup many times with one in the group saying "it barely has any maple flavor" and the next complaining "it is way to strong" and it was same sample. I'm sure most everyone has had similar reactions to syrup tasting. Regardless to the grade on the label it has to have a good flavor!
We have far more requests for Extra Dark than we do for Light, but those that prefer light still make up a solid percentage of our sales.
Mark

[Jim Brown]

This year(I hope) as in the past we will sell as much bottled "B" as we sell Med amber. The flavor is the seller.We tell folks up front the name"Grade "B" Not Grade "A Med Amber" and most will pick the "B" just for the taste

Our two cents:)

Jim

[Maplewalnut]

Boy, does this thread sound familiar! I to am almost sold out of B. I even purposedly made almost 40% of my crop this year into B. The taste is excellent and the color dark. Thats what people want. Right or wrong people around here are conditoned that syrup needs to be dark to taste good. They do not want a water colored delicate maple flavor. After all haven't we learned anything from Aunt Jeremima.

Mike