It’s Peak Season to See How Maple Syrup Is Made
Is there anything in nature that compares to maple syrup? Talk about an all-natural product that makes everything a whole lot better. The next 60-75 days, from mid-to-late February until the end of April, are the heart of the maple syrup season, when the temperatures climb above freezing during the day, but slip back below freezing at night. The sap running up the trees is about 98% water, so the alternating thawing and freezing causes the sap to climb the tree, then freeze and expand. When it expands, you can collect it by tapping the tree and letting the dripping sap accumulate in a bucket.
Can you collect and make your own maple syrup? It’s definitely possible, but there’s much you need to know to be successful.
First, you can’t just tap any maple tree. You’ll only get sap to make syrup from what are known as “sugar maples.” Also known as hard maple, rock maple, black maple or sweet maple, the specific trees that produce maple syrup (the “acer saccharum”) are almost exclusively found in southern Canada, New England, the American Northeast, and the upper Midwest (think Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota).
The sap of a sugar maple is about 2% sugar, so you’ll need a lot of sap to make syrup—the typical ratio is about 40 to one. Ideally, you’ll drill a hole about three inches deep into the side of the sugar maple, using a drill bit that’s about ½ inch in diameter. You’ll need a spout, also known as a “spile,” which you can generally find online. Your tap should be about four feet above the ground.
Once you’ve collected enough sap, you’ll need to boil it to remove most of the water. You can do that on a stove, but it typically works better on an outdoor fire. When you’ve boiled it down to where your sugar content is about 65-70%, it’s maple syrup. You’ll want to strain it through some cheesecloth and store it in a cool place.
If you live in the right part of the country, though, you’ll find a maple syrup farm nearby. One survey found about 100 such farms spread throughout New England (that’s where 2/3rd of all maple syrup is made). Most offer some type of tour, where you can watch just about every part of the process and come home with some of nature’s most delectable nectar.
