Making Maple Syrup at Home
Intro: Making Maple Syrup at Home
STEP 1: Find Some Maple Trees
STEP 2: Drill Holes for the Taps
When you find the right tree to drill be sure the tree is large enough to safely drill. Next you want to put the drillbit up to the tree at a slightly upward angle, this allows the sap to flow down out of the tree through the tap. The ideal depth is 1 1/2 to 3 inches into the tree. After you have drilled into the tree be sure of the whole is clear of all debris. After this step move on to step 4.
STEP 3: Position Taps
Once you have drilled the hole in the tree for the tap. You must them lightly hammer the tap into the Mapletree. After this step be sure to wire a old milk jug to the tap. To wire the milk jug to the tap cut a slit in the top of the handle on the milk jug to put the lip of the tap in. Please note the sap may not run as soon as you put the tap in the tree. Let the temperature drop overnight then let it rise allowing the sap to run the next day.
STEP 4: Collect Sap
After you have let the sap run collect it when the jobs are full. If your sap is running well then it should be checked once a day. The sap should look a slight yellowish color and taste like sugar water. In the picture above notice the comparison between sap and water. The left jug is sap the right jug is water. Before you start your first batch of syrup be sure to have at least a 5 gallons of sap to boil down, this much that will produce 1 pint of syrup
STEP 5: Boil Sap and Can It
Once you have at least 5 gallons of sap, Then you are ready to boil. Get your cooking device out fire it up and get it hot. Be sure to filter your sap before putting it in the pot. This will remove some of the debris from the sap. The sap should take 3 to 4 hours to boil down. Once the sap is down to a low level you can start to remove taste testing samples to check for consistency, before testing for consistency be sure the syrup has slightly cooled so you don't burn your mouth and let it thicken up a little bit. Once the sap is that a syrup consistency be sure to have a sterile mason jar on hand. Once you have a finished a batch of fresh maple syrup poured through some cheesecloth in layers into the jar, this should take out most of what's known as "tree sand" it's a white cloudy substance that does not taste well on your pancakes.once the hot maple syrup is in the jar put the lid on the jar let it sit and cool. The syrup should have a shelf life of about two years.
13 Comments
jrich3 9 years ago
Boil on!
Carter Hildebrandt 8 years ago
whoo hoo WISCONSIN!!
parkerpe 9 years ago
You want to be sure to do most of your boiling outside, as evaporating tens of gallons of water into the air in your house will do lots of damage to walls. Regarding sealing the tree holes, the tree will heal itself once the spiles are removed. Plugging the holes is not recommended, as you might trap bacteria inside the tree. We've been tapping trees for 5 years, and it's hard to tell where the previous years' taps were because they heal over so well.
rayj0007 9 years ago
For the sake of completeness, could you discuss how and when to remove the taps, and any treatment you do to the wound in the tree to insure it stays healthy so it'll be there for next year's harvest.
blazinn 9 years ago
You need to bring some in to class!
Carter Hildebrandt 9 years ago
that moment when you realise homemade maple syrup is taking over your pantry
Vyger 9 years ago
There you go, much better. And your very first one gets featured.
jpayne21 9 years ago
jwitham_16 9 years ago
Dustin Rogers 9 years ago
Vyger 9 years ago
I think you might be missing your first page. I don't really see a title as to what you are doing.
In the editor click the add page button. You might have to reorder them in order to get it to be the intro page.
Sheldy123 9 years ago
Vyger 9 years ago
In the forest. Or sometimes in peoples yards.