We use plastic sap buckets to collect maple sap. The lids keep out rain and much debris. They were what was available locally which was the major factor in our decision to use them. Before the plastic was available, metal buckets were used. You can still get them some places, or find them used. Very large and sturdy plastic bag containers are made for this purpose as well. You can also run a hose from the spile (the spout in the tree) into a bucket, and collect sap that way. Commercial producers often run a hose from tree to tree, and collect it in large drums at the end of each line. Things get high tech from there with commercial vacuum systems of various types. It also seems that each container holds a different volume and every shop seems to have a different selection of equipment available. We choose what we could not only find, but knew would work for our very small operation.
We made an evaporator over our fire pit using an old Franklin stove we found in the basement. We use rectangular roasting pans and a 2 pan format. We use one pan for boiling and the second pan to pre-heat sap, so it doesn't cool down the boil pan when used to top up.
It takes about 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. That also depends on the type of Maple tree you are tapping and the year as both are variables on what that year's sap to syrup ratio will be. This weekend was our first boil. We had about 120 litres of sap and got just under 3 litres of syrup.
I finish the syrup in the house. The final temperature needs to be about 219F- 220F. While it can take time to get close, I find that last few degrees often come to temperature quickly. Once it does, I pour the syrup through a paper or fibre syrup filter. I then reheat the syrup for a few minutes, and pour it into prepared, hot, sterilized jars. I wipe the jar rims and pop on 2 piece lids. Some people run their syrup through a hot water canning bath, but none of the Agriculture departments say this is necessary. Maple syrup has about a 60 percent sugar content so not much will grow in that environment.
Because of the length of time it takes to reduce the sap, we get a lot
of caramelization. This really means that we don't get that very pale
light syrup that commercial producers can get. What we do get though
has a really good, strong Maple flavour. YUM!
I'm off to make pancakes :)
how I envy you that syrup, I love it! unfortunately it's quite expensive here, but every now and then I just can't resist - and the bottle lasts a good while, unless DS finds it:) 3 l of it - sounds like enough for at least a year?:)
ReplyDelete