Retail Market for Commercial Grade?

[backyardsugarer]

I have had 5 customers sample some of my commercial grade syrup and buy that over anything else. I knock a few bucks off depending on the quantity. I know some people like grade B but I have never heard of people requesting and prefering Commercial grade. I don't mind the taste so I use some. Looks like I have a client base building.

Chris

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im starting to think that the people are right and someone else is wrong. We have a big producer with the RO and was one of the first that used it in the area. It was hidden away with the drums of syrup marked Product of Canada. He was always touting how his syrup was always lighter than others...OK big deal...Then his roadside signs say if its light its right ................OK Then after some time the RO comes out and its the only way to do syrup.

I think its a self fulfilling proficy thats coming to an end as far as what is right and what is wrong. Beer can only taste good if its in a clear bottle......WHAT I put Catsup on Pasties and beef sanwitches and not eggs. I have people that say only wood should be used for cooking syrup BUT they buy my syrup and mix it with theres. I only care what people buy and thats heading in the dark direction. Just wait till the new grading kits come out.

[KenWP]

The last batch of syrup I made is as dark as my heart and I used some to make sugar pies and it tastes just fine and she who must be obeyed and is a Quebecois figured it was one of my better tasteing batchs. Go figure. I have gave a bit away to a couple people to taste and they want more also.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You have brought up a good point with this post and the entire grading process. What you sold them as commercial may have been a very good flavored grade b syrup or even possibly Dark A. Sometimes very dark syrup doesn't have the strong flavor to go with the dark/strong color. Be nice if everyone was honest and the grading system could be more based on taste vs color. Color would still be a big factor, but not as big as flavor. But it is not a perfect world and there would be producers put motor oil syrup in jugs and selling it as Grade A.

Grade C should make your tongue curl along or at least have a strong or off flavor in my opinion which isn't worth anything.

[Russell Lampron]

In NH I am fortunate enough to be able to label good tasting commercial as grade B. This past season that is mostly what I made for syrup. I sold most of it retail with no complaints and no discount on the price. I hope to fare as well when the new universal grading system goes into effect.

[marc]

I think a lot people are used to seeing the dark colored imitation stuff that they buy at the grocery store. At least that is the case with my family, the first 2 batches i did last year were light as could be and were great flavored, the wife and kids looked at it and said it needed to be boiled longer because it wasn't dark enough:o Just my experience, i've heard alot of people say they prefer the darker syrup. Lucky for me, I should be able to handle that.:)

[brookledge]

The current propsed new grading standards will not allow the sale of commercial as retail. This will hurt many small producers who make syrup in open pans who tend to make darker syrup since sap is added to the pan and kept boiling until all the sap has been boiled and then poured off all at once. In many cases the syrup has very good flavor but is very dark. That syrup if it is below 25% light transmission can't be sold retail and must be sold in bulk in no less than 5 gal containers.
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

WV doesn't know what grading laws are, so that is good for the producers in this area and hopefully they will be honest and not take advantage of the system.

[KenWP]

So who comes up with these rules anyways. It sounds like some of the rules are made by the bigger producers that can make lighter syrup all the time. There should be some kind of taste allownaces to go along with the light trasmission factors also. I would hope they are not going to shut out producers due to color.

[DrTimPerkins]

So who comes up with these rules anyways. It sounds like some of the rules are made by the bigger producers that can make lighter syrup all the time. There should be some kind of taste allownaces to go along with the light trasmission factors also. I would hope they are not going to shut out producers due to color.

The proposed grading scheme was done by the International Maple Syrup Institute and has been under development for the past seven years. It isn't something concocted off the top of somebody's head, and has had the input of a great number of people. All segments of the maple industry have had representation in formulating the proposed grading scheme. The overall objective was to harmonize the different grading schemes across the U.S. and Canada. It should help simplify the grades and make education of consumers and industrial users easier. A significant amount of scientific and marketing research was done to arrive at this point.

The final proposal was presented to and adopted by both the IMSI and the NAMSC (North American Maple Syrup Council) at the annual meetings in October 2009.

I don't have the specifics in front of me, but it does collapse some of the grade categories so that there are fewer catagories. That is why a new grading kit will be required. At the same time, the proposed grade divisions (which I believe are 100-75%, 74-50%, 49-25%, under 25%) are much simpler than the current divisions. It also provides some common flavor descriptors for each category and places a strong emphasis on taste rather than simply color. It also recognizes the increasing dark syrup market by lowering the light transmission standard for table syrup.

You will no doubt be hearing more about this in the future. It will require changing the laws and regulations in many areas. If all goes well it'll undoubtedly take several more years before it goes into effect. Your local association should have some information on this already (if they participate in the NAMSC meetings).

[jrthe3]

i think i would stop making syrup and start makeing pancake sause

i love dark and alot of my buyers love it dark say it the best they have ever had

[Sugarmaker]

Folks, ( My two cents)
Next time in a restaurant that serves fake maple syrup (like we were on SAT.:( take a good look at the color! Dark to black right?
Now head off to Wally World to get into the isle with all the fake syrups. MY bet is that you don't find any that would grade even Medium in a syrup grading kit. Follow me here. 90% of the public has been trained by fake syrup producers that pancake syrup is ALWAYS dark! So we hobbyists to production operations come along and try to push light syrup. To the consumer that light syrup looks like it is not cooked enough, maybe looks too watery, maybe looks too runny. and what do the the customers at the sugar house hover around? You guessed it dark syrup!
We spend 60% of our time during open house educating a hand full of the public about what the grades mean and how the syrup will taste at various grades. I let them taste all the grades and decide for themselves. SOME will stay with fake syrup. its what there used to.

Believe me it will not be easy telling folks what "robust" should taste like! It is very easy for folks to see the color difference! I'm not sure if I will be able to calibrate my tongue to know the difference in taste grades, since I like them all and make all of them.

BUT I can tell the difference in bad off flavor, buddy, chemical, metabolic and moldy.

WHAT Are we selling ? FLAVOR guys and girls FLAVOR! I will sell the darkest syrup I make if it has good flavor! For the same price as the other grades too.
I will mark the lids accordingly. I let the folks buying the syrup decide what they like. Only about 10% of my customers ask for light syrup anyway.

IF it doesn't taste good sell it to the bulk guys! I don't want it in any of our maple products.

So I guess I agree on the new grading system (I don't have the details) That FLAVOR is first, grade is secondary. Will be watching this closely and be ready to help re-educate customers to new international maple grading standards.

Regards,
Chris C.

[The Birdman]

I make it I try it if it taste good I sale it same price. Most of the people I sale to ask for dark. I like the taste of the dark also the strong maple flavor. It takes the same time and energy to make light as it does dark. Not that I have a chose. Mother nature give me what she gives.

[sapman]

When I started making syrup 18 years ago with about 75 taps, I was frustrated that I couldn't get the syrup as dark as it "should be". I obviously had no concept of the grading system, and based everything on the fake crap sold in the stores. It was quite an eye opener when someone showed me the different grades!

Tim