Eastern Ontario 2016

[Galena]

I'm curious to hear what you learn from your experiment, Karen. I've often wondered if there would be a difference in taste.

Batch #5 finished at just over 3.5l, looks like a gorgeous amber. Am actually almost caught up...only 110l in holding outside, barely any in the buckets, just 10l inside to be evaped off when I get home. A tiny bit disappointed that this year's sugar content seems a little lower, but not complaining! Plan to spend most of this week getting syrup into litre mason jars and those lovely 1/2g jugs so I can store them in dry storage and not my fridge, for once :-)

[Bushfrosh]

Just collected a portion of my bush with my brother-in-law. I brought a small sample into the house to warm up and I think I smell the nasty smell of buddiness. No complaints though - it's been a heck of a year and I'm still catching up with stashed sap as long as it holds.

[sinker]

Well, I wasn't going to bother collecting last night because i didn't think anything would run with over night temps above zero...but...I couldn't resist looking.....please just make it stop!!!

Another 180 litres collected.

Filled up on propane again for the weekend, and it looks like I'm not getting a break at all.

[Galena]

Wow, you're still getting tons...mine have all sensibly slowed down, some cloudy sap but none buddy. I got a measly 13l or so today, so now I only have 100l in holding to get through! :-)

[Run Forest Run!]

I brought home another 100L today. A new boil is now under way. I'm pleased to hear about the freezing over night temperatures because, with any luck, we'll be able to chuck ice in the morning.

Just received a photo from my nephew. It's of his first sap boil over a newly purchased propane burner. He's toast now. No turning back.

Brett's first boil.jpg

[Lespetras]

Lesley, in an attempt to answer my own question about different flavour profiles of syrup made over wood vs. propane I conducted a major experiment yesterday. From the same storage buckets I split the sap, with half going to wood fired and half to propane fired. The nearup is very close to syrup now and I'll be able to offer up my thoughts on any differences very soon. My sample size was something upwards of 75L+ being directed to each cooking method.

Did you find a difference in taste?
We are just about finished boiling our last bit of sap and pulled our spiles today! Sad it's coming to an end

[Run Forest Run!]

Lesley, there is certainly a difference in taste. Once I'm finished making dinner and my palate isn't overwhelmed any longer with the flavours of that, I'll put a more thorough explanation together. I was very pleased with the test as the conditions were perfect. I didn't have any mishaps, no accidental burnings, scorching or any such thing. So, there was nothing much to account for the difference other than the method of cooking. On the surface the propane syrup tastes lighter with brown sugar notes while the wood syrup has more depth of flavour with (believe it or not) a definite cinnamon finish. Weird.

[Galena]

...On the surface the propane syrup tastes lighter with brown sugar notes while the wood syrup has more depth of flavour with (believe it or not) a definite cinnamon finish. Weird.

Cinnamon is there on the flavour wheel, so all good :-) Now how much did you boil the sap down on the propane and wood - did you just get it to nearup then finish the final batches on the stove, or did you actually finish it off to syrup over propane and wood? I do all my boiling from sap to syrup on an electric stove, but want to get some smokey syrup, so plan to try and make some on the outdoors arch.

[Lespetras]

Karen,

I do agree that there is a difference.. It's hard to pinpoint, but cinnamon is an interesting take. Ours (we did 2 batches approx 10 litres of wood fire syrup) tasted still very sweet but Darren swears there's a smokey hint to it which he loved. I thought more heavy tasting. Definitely had more niter (or wood byproduct) than the propane evaporated syrup. But nevertheless both ways produced amazing results!

[Run Forest Run!]

Galena, I finished both batches over electric heat so that there was no chance of messing things up with a scorch. I had a really hot fire going, and an efficient flue, so there was next to no ash etc in my wood batch. There was only the slightest hint of smokiness, which I found very surprising. I had expected a very pronounced smokiness. I suppose if you don't divert the smoke away like I did you'll get a smokey syrup.

Lesley, like your husband does I can also detect a slight smokiness which is really nice. Nothing pronounced, but it's there. I also agree that the flavour, as you say, seems more heavy tasting. I'd say it tastes like it has more depth of flavour, if that makes sense. The propane boiled syrup isn't exposed to as much direct flame and heat so I suspect that the flavours remain more delicate.

For the wood boiled syrup I get the following flavours in order: dark brown sugar, a mild smokiness, marshmallow, sponge toffee, cinnamon with a black licorice taste left in the mouth.
For the propane boiled syrup I get: molasses (big time! just like the orange wrapped Hallowe'en kisses), light brown sugar, marshmallow and also with lingering black licorice flavour finish.

Both syrups finished to the same colour. I haven't put it in bottles yet, but it looks like it will register as light. I didn't notice any more niter one way or the other.