Maine Maple Season 2025

[Mvhomesteader]

First boil of the season today. I boiled 75 gallons and got 1.6+ gallons of syrup for a sugar content of 2.17%, so I'm pleased. I started at 10:30 and was jarred by 6.

It looks like the sap should flow nicely over the next 10 days or so, though I would like more sun. I can see the day coming soon where it will be boil, clean-up next day, rinse and repeat, to keep the sap fresh. I don't have a lot of snowbanks for storage this season.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

First boil under way for us. 200g from only about 220 of the taps that are running. Our best yielding bush is still froze up. Not enough sap to check for leaks there but other 2 are north of 20”. It’s begun. I expect a massive run with no freeze in sight for the next several days, until it eventually stops. Hopefully it cools down again some time next week.

[Mvhomesteader]

Wow, did the run kick in today! I pulled in over 100 gallons of sap from 75 taps. It will be interesting to see how this goes during thew warm up.

I boiled my second time yesterday getting almost 2 gallons from 80 gallons of sap, 2.4 sugar which is higher than the first boil slightly. The syrup was much more amber than the first boil which was darker. looks great inn the canning jars. Ive got nearly 200 gallons in storage so looks like I'm boiling this Saturday to whittle to pile down.

Continued luck to all!

[CanterburyMaple]

Down here in Gorham, it’s been going heavy the past 3 weeks on and off. I’ve collected about 350 gallons on 80 red maples, and that started February 26th. Tomorrow could be the last big run for me, given the 2 week weather forecast. But I’ve made almost 7 gallons of syrup, Brix has been 2-ish the whole time for which I’m grateful (I’ve had years where it’s mostly 1.5).

Crazy to think I made 8 gallons of syrup over 3 months last year (Jan-march) and I’ll make 8+ gallons in about 3 weeks this year with the same number of taps. What a wild hobby this is. Grateful for my 2x4 arch and hobby RO to keep me relatively efficient.

Have a great year everyone, may it be a long season for everyone (away from the coast that is)!

[Mvhomesteader]

Nice to hear from you Canterbury! Glad the season has been rewarding.

My trees have shut off for the time being, but the weather here looks like it will go into a regular nighttime freeze starting this coming weekend. I have no idea what will happen. Secondary surge? I have enough stashed in the snow for three boils of 85 gallons (this Tuesday, next Saturday with my son from Pittsburgh in town, and a week from Monday) plus 25 gallons towards a fourth, so I'm hoping to get another 60 or so top complete the set. With a first boil of March 9th and perhaps a last in the week of the 24th it is a compact run. I talked with a local producer today who is struggling to fill his 400 gallon tank to fire the evaporator. We'll see how it goes.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

We’ve cooked off 765 gallons of sap so far. The run has stopped over here. Might get a freeze Tuesday night and Wednesday night. Still just getting going. Sap is clear and the ground is still hard. Plenty of frost still in the woods. Looks like it might cool down end of the week/ over the weekend.

[West Sumner Sugar]

Had our 3rd boil this weekend. First 2 were just small runs but this past weekend we put over 1800 gallons through our RO and evaporator. We just converted our 2x8 CDL Venturi to forced draft AUF and boy did that wake this thing up. Hard boil across all pans like we have never had in the past. We made about 15 gallons of some beautiful golden delicate, another first for us. We could never get over 58 on the Hanna checker. We are already half way to last years crop and shooting for 100+ this season.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Had enough of a freeze for a smoking run today and should freeze again tonight. Everything on vac is over 20” and the sap is rolling in. Check your tanks West Sumner Boiling off what we got at the end of the long run thru yesterday right now. Sap still crystal clear and we are making a very tasty Amber. Going to be a good run rest of the week and next week looks promising too

[West Sumner Sugar]

Boiled off 650 gallons today, the RO ran all day. Got a nice run today too...we will process this latest flood of sap on maple weekend.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Had a few visitors at the shack yesterday and boiled off 360G of sap. Everything froze up yesterday and will stay frozen today with the snow coming. Hopefully that's a good recharge for the trees. Weather looks good through the weekend. Sap is still very clear through the warm weather of the first 2 weeks. Have been making a darker syrup than usual to start. First batch was LT 54 and we usually start in the 60's. 2nd batch was at LT 46 but it was delicious. We will start filling 15.5G barrels with dark from here on out if that's what we continue to make. The flavor is great but we will have a surplus of dark if it continues. May be looking to trade for some Amber if anyone is interested.