Bourbon barrel aged maple syrup

[maple flats]

I've been making bourbon barrel aged maple syrup for a few years. Now my credit card processor is giving me issues. They want a test results for the alcohol content , my license to make it and if no license a statement from New York State that I don't need one.
How do you test for any alcohol in maple syrup? Who does such testing?
Back in my early days of making it, I asked NYS Ag & Mkts about it and was told I needed nothing special to make it in terms of testing or a license.
I've just written them again to confirm and to get an official statement that I don't need a license or testing. That will go out tomorrow.
Have any of you had such issues and were they solved? How?
Advise please. Bourbon barrel Aged maple syrup is by far my most profitable product, I certainly don't want to get it ruled out.

Dave

[maple flats]

My progress resolving the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup issue. I sent a note to the NYSMPA, our state association. It turns out they have a high end testing devise to test for alcohol in the product. I sent an email to one of the two people who have charge of the test equipment and they sent me a name and address to send a sample to, it sounds like the tests are done at no charge for members of the association, which I am, in fact a few months ago I sent in a 3 yr renewal, about the time I decided to get back into maple production. The sample will ship out tomorrow.
Before I got the reply from the NYSMPA I got a call from one of our maple trader members telling me he had sent his syrup out to a company for testing, at the price of $400.00 or there abouts. I'm glad the NYSMPA bought this equipment for all of their members. In fact I was thinking, if someone who wanted to get this testing done, membership was just south of $100, it would sure beat $400, just saying!
I also contacted New York State Ag and Markets about the issue, I was connected to the director of the Maple aspect in the agency. I dialed his number , got an answering machine and left a brief but detailed message, as of right now, no answer.
Back about 5-6 yrs ago, as I was thinking of making bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. At that time Ag and Markets told me the only requirement was that the syrup must be at 66.5% sugar minimum but not over 67.2%. No other requirements. Now I'm hoping nothing has changed in the regulations.

[maple flats]

Correction, I was just getting the name and address to ship the samplew to be tested. I initially missed it, but they charge $20 for the cost of a membrane that's used, it's still a real bargain.

[maple flats]

Still no answer from the director of maple operations (or whatever his title is) at NYS Ag & Markets, he likely had a paid day off for this very important federal holiday. Government employees get a paid day off while the rest of us just get to pay their salary to sit home and drink margaritas.

[maple flats]

As of today 6/26/24 I've had no communication from the NYS director of maple in NYS Ag and Markets. Since I've solved the issue, it's not needed but I'm glad I got it fixed without his help. Also, if he's on vacation it seems he should have someone under him at least call me and if they can't answer my questions they should at least tell me he's on vacation and when he will return. Being in a state agency I know he's not the only one in that department.

[Maple River Sugar]

Can you just change the description in your software to not reflect any association with alcohol? It seems like that is what tipped them off.
I have no idea, I don't know what you would call it if not bourbon barrel aged maple syrup.
My fix was to get it tested and send the results to my CC processor. Because The NYS MPA owns the test equipment to test for alcohol, it only cost $20 and took 4-5 days counting mail time to ship a sample, the results were emailed back. Then once I submitted the results (0.67%) it took almost 3 weeks before CC transactions resumed.