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Thread: Syrup Grades: This Year vs. Last

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Upper Valley, NH
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    Default Syrup Grades: This Year vs. Last

    Curious as to what people are seeing for volume of each grade this year vs. last. The seasons were so different. Last season started very early and lasted a long time. Despite that, I didn't make much delicate or amber at all. This year, I have yet to make anything but delicate and amber. Same trees, same RO, same evaporator. Same operator. It's very interesting.
    2023: Award Winning Maple Syrup and Honey!
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
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    Rock Creek, NC
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    I usually make mostly Amber with a little Golden and if I'm lucky some Dark. I added a second membrane tower to my RO for this season and concentrate to a higher percentage than before and have made mostly Dark with some Amber and a batch of Golden.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Murrysville, Pennsylvania
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    476

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    I made almost entirely golden delicate (~5.5 gallons). Around 2 quarts of amber rich, and less than a quart of dark robust:
    https://www.sugartree.run/2019/03/20...son-recap.html
    D. Roseum
    www.roseummaple.com
    ~100 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
    2021: 27.1 gallons
    2022: 35 gallons

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
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    Last year mostly dark grades. This year lots of amber and a little dark to few gallons very dark at the end. A more normal season this year.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Howell, mi
    Posts
    820

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    It seems we went the other way.

    Last year: 40% of our crop was Amber, 50% dark, 10% very dark and no Golden.
    This year: 10% Amber, 80% dark, 10 % very dark and no Golden.

    Last year, we were about a week late getting the taps in and missed the first good run.
    I believe that’s where my golden went.

    This year we were all tapped in and ready prior to the first run.

    We normally tap mid to late Feb and finish up the first week of April.
    This year, due to the persistent cold, taps went in March 15th and we just finished up last Friday (4-5).

    Even though we only had about half a season, we still made 90% of our normal crop.
    We had just as many boils and used just about as much wood as we do in a normal season.
    Sap was coming in nearly every day.
    42.67N 84.02W


    350 taps- 300 on vacuum, 50 buckets
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    MN
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    23

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    question for you guys... newbie here - how do you grade your syrup? I've seen the color scale before... do you just print that off and hold it up to a jar of syrup and see what color matches it? Is it that simple?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

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    JW,
    A couple options on grading syrup.
    A grading kit with small bottles can be purchased and then you have spare bottles to fill with your syrup and you look through the bottles and judge the grade by eye.
    Another way is to purchase a Hanna (brand) Checker which will give you a actual number for the grade (color) using light transmissiblity. Sample bottles in that kit are small.

    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,391

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    Quote Originally Posted by jwmiller View Post
    how do you grade your syrup? I've seen the color scale before... do you just print that off and hold it up to a jar of syrup and see what color matches it? Is it that simple?
    It is most definitely NOT that simple (that approach will not work). As Chris indicates, a grading kit (temporary=cheap or permanent=expensive) or a Hannah Checker (modest price). Then again, if you're not selling syrup, you may not need to grade it. Check your local regulations.

    Note that the word "temporary" in "Temporary Grading Kit" means just that. It is technically good for one year. The colors can fade over time, especially if exposed to light. If you notice that you're having a hard time making Golden/Delicate (formerly "Fancy" or "Light Amber") syrup, it might just be your grading kit has faded.
    Last edited by DrTimPerkins; 04-08-2019 at 04:12 PM.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

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