Maple syrup

[Mikey]

This year I decided to try my hand at making maple syrup seeing as I have 7 maple trees on the property
It actually went well although it took about 11 hours from starting the boil to canning the syrup
I cooked the sap up to 215 degrees F out doors and then reduced it in the house to a temp of 219 degrees F
The seven maples on the property yielded 65 gallons of sap = 12 pints of syrup
Happy to report that Maple syrup goes well with waffles
Now I just have to take apart the cooker box and cleanup the equipment

 

[grouchie77]

I don't know if it's possible, but someday just to mess around I want to make mead with maple syrup instead of honey. It's going to be epic either way. Either an epic failure that will be remembered for generations or an epic success that will be forgotten about in a week.

 

[grouchie77]

 

[nj1639]

@Mikey
I made some one year to see if I could, made taps from 1” black plastic water line split lengthwise and used old milk cartons as the collector, kept it cooking on top of the wood stove as it was already in use 24/7.
I wonder, do you now see the potential bounty of these trees everywhere they stand? I did and do. Some of the old farmsteads have the bonafide sugar maples still standing but untouched.
Nice to know you can.
I might try hickory bark syrup if I get a tree blown down.

 

[siscoken]

This year I decided to try my hand at making maple syrup seeing as I have 7 maple trees on the property
It actually went well although it took about 11 hours from starting the boil to canning the syrup
I cooked the sap up to 215 degrees F out doors and then reduced it in the house to a temp of 219 degrees F
The seven maples on the property yielded 65 gallons of sap = 12 pints of syrup
Happy to report that Maple syrup goes well with waffles
Now I just have to take apart the cooker box and cleanup the equipment

I did this for the first time a couple yrs ago... because my grand kids were visiting at the right time.... wanted to do the same this yr but the weather did no cooperate.
The yr I did it the grand kids were really into it and we did the boil off a couple days before they were leaving and we had into on pancakes their last day .... very fun experiment.

 

[Downeaster]

I can take or leave maple syrup, but I LOVE maple butter!

 

[Mikey]

@Mikey
I made some one year to see if I could, made taps from 1” black plastic water line split lengthwise and used old milk cartons as the collector, kept it cooking on top of the wood stove as it was already in use 24/7.
I wonder, do you now see the potential bounty of these trees everywhere they stand? I did and do. Some of the old farmsteads have the bonafide sugar maples still standing but untouched.
Nice to know you can.
I might try hickory bark syrup if I get a tree blown down.

Between my neighbor and myself there are 3 large black walnut trees I want to tap next year and try that

 

[nj1639]

Between my neighbor and myself there are 3 large black walnut trees I want to tap next year and try that

I’ll check that out, I’ve got a mess of black walnut on the property.

 

[RC4MAN]

Guy I used to work with from south Georgia used to bring in sugar cane syrup his grandfather made. Used it instead of simple syrup for mixed drinks.

 

[Mikey]

People tap birch trees too
None here otherwise id give it a try