Sap is running

[canaanmaple]

Just pulled the pan off the arch. Almost syrup at 216f. Had three pre filters had to pull 2 and barely got the remainder through the third. Brown funky mess! Darkest so far this year. Should make 4.75 gallons syrup if I did the math right. Hope it does and we will hit our season goal of 50 gallons syrup with the next cook. Had the arch cooking hard when we pulled the pan, my kids were thrilled to have a hotdog roast and s’mores. Redneck livin at it’s finest.

No buddy flavors yet for you Lilshot?

It a perfect temperature forecast the next few days for a great run, but I made a small batch of syrup from sap that ran a little sunday, and it has that lingering tootsie-roll flavor to it that spells buddy to me. A little bummed because I was getting a second wind to process the run this week. It's not offensive yet, but it's not good maple syrup anymore. If there is a secondary market for it, I may decide to boil this week for the extra cash...
The season was just earlier this year here, but it was a good one at least!

[buckeye gold]

Make some granulated sugar out of that late syrup and it will transfer flavor into whatever your making with it maybe. I'm new to granualting, but I had about a half gallon like that at the end and it made great sugar. I think the high heat drives off some of the off flavor.

[Lilshot]

We pulled bags and taps 2/18. Warm weather really scummed up the bags. Some had dried up already. I have 34 red maples on 3/16” on a northern woodlot and they are still running well at about 40 gallon per day. Boiled last batch from these down and it is definitely getting buddy! Probably boil another small batch to see if taste gets worse. Still about a quart of syrup shy of 50 gallon.

Bottled some today. Did a light and a dark batch.FF29BFC9-36B0-426A-8B05-258FFB943A62.jpgFF29BFC9-36B0-426A-8B05-258FFB943A62.jpg

[Lilshot]

Decided not to go any further this year. Sanitized all buckets and barrels today. Did chemical and biological rinse on RO membranes yesterday. 107 taps total. 49.75 gallons of syrup. 4x150 gpd membranes and a 2x4 flat pan. All in all a wonderful season. We will see how it sells through the summer and s e what upgrades are warranted for next year. Time for the vegetables that we sell at market. Glad to hear any input on our operation. Always looking forward o improve. Thanks

[canaanmaple]

Decided not to go any further this year. Sanitized all buckets and barrels today. Did chemical and biological rinse on RO membranes yesterday. 107 taps total. 49.75 gallons of syrup. 4x150 gpd membranes and a 2x4 flat pan. All in all a wonderful season. We will see how it sells through the summer and s e what upgrades are warranted for next year. Time for the vegetables that we sell at market. Glad to hear any input on our operation. Always looking forward o improve. Thanks

I'd say you kicked *** making 50 gallons with your operation! Way to get after it! What kills me is, the weather is STILL going in and out of perfect sapping temps even though the trees are done. What a crazy year! Been like that since January pretty much. I was doing random test buckets as early as late December and making micro batches inside on the woodstove as a natural humidifier since then too. I didn't tap the 3/16 and all the buckets till after first week of Feb, because it's kind of unheard of to do so that early, but in hindsight, i coulda had a few more big runs if I tapped in January. But I guess the endless sapping weather has woken up the trees earlier, because last year I was still making good syrup into April before it got buddy. Record year for WV producers I believe though. (and one nearby in western, MD who beat their 1000 gal/yr average easily)

[220 maple]

CanaanMaple,
The western Md. camp. Would that be the Steyer Brother's on 560 between Oakland and Gormania? Randall and Mike's goal is always 1000 gallon!

Mark 220 Maple

[canaanmaple]

CanaanMaple,
The western Md. camp. Would that be the Steyer Brother's on 560 between Oakland and Gormania? Randall and Mike's goal is always 1000 gallon!

Mark 220 Maple

Yeah! Their 110th year. Cheapest syrup I've seen in the region too. $38/gal from their farm

[canaanmaple]

CanaanMaple,
The western Md. camp. Would that be the Steyer Brother's on 560 between Oakland and Gormania? Randall and Mike's goal is always 1000 gallon!

Mark 220 Maple

The amish folks leasing Dalens operation in Dry Fork have done 90+ barrels this year I hear also.

[220 maple]

CanaanMaple,
Have they quite yet? J. Dalens first season he made his one hundredth barrel on April 1, I was there for that red letter day in West Virginia Syrup History, He made syrup into April the five years he produced.
I told the owner that day that from my research no one had ever made 100 barrels of syrup in a West Virginia season! I stand by that statement until someone comes forward with proof. We celebrated that achievement that day by having a toast of another local made product. Hint: Clear Liquid, Burned from lips to stomach and probably could have been used to get home if we were low on gas!
Mark 220 Maple