MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCTION AT HOME 
     
    
   
   
    
     by Dan McAskill, Donagh 
     
    
   
   
    
     With the approach of spring the mind begins to wander to thoughts of the warm 
     
     days and crisp nights which bring on the flow of sap in the maples. If you are 
     
     willing to do a moderate amount of work you can harvest one of nature's finest 
     
     treats. Much of the equipment required for a small maple operation can be found 
     
     in the kitchen and the home workshop. 
     
    

    
     The first task in collecting maple sap is to identify candidate trees to tap. 
     
     All three of the larger maples on the Island (sugar, striped and red) produce a 
     
     sap that can be converted into maple syrup. The difference is in the quantity of 
     
     the sugar in the sap, the quantity of the sap produced and the flavor of the 
     
     finished product. The candidate tree should be 10 inches in diameter at breast 
     
     height (many producers go down to 8 in.) and preferably have a large crown. One tap 
     
     can be placed in a tree from this size up to 14 in., two in a tree of 15-19 in., and 
     
     three in a tree of 20-24 in. - 
     
    

    
     After the trees to be tapped have been located some equipment should be readied 
     
     at home. The basic requirements are as follows: a sap spout or spile, a brace and 
     
     bit (7/16 or 3/8 in.), a water tight container, a collection bucket, containers to 
     
     boil and finish the sap, and a thermometer with a range of 200—230 F. A home made 
     
     spile can be made from a length of elderberry stem from which the pith has been 
     
     removed with a hot metal rod. The collection buckets can range from coffee cans to 
     
     buckets. Glass should be avoided because of the breakage from freezing and certain 
     
     plastics must be avoided because they become brittle in the cold. 
     
    

    
     The time of tapping is determined by the weather. Below freezing temperatures 
     
     at night followed by above freezing temperatures in the day bring on the sap flow. 
     
     The flow will vary from day to day depending on the weather and the time of the 
     
     season. The collection of sap is stopped when the syrup takes on a buddy flavor. 
     
     This flavor has been compared to the after-taste you get when you chew a red maple 
     
     bud. 
     
    

    
     The tapping itself is accomplished by drilling a 7/16 or 3/8 inch hole on a 
     
     slight downward angle (10°) three inches into the tree. The spile is tapped into 
     
     the hole and the collection container is hung on it. The rigging of a cover over 
     
     the container will keep water and debris out of the sap. 
     
    

    
     Depending on the size of the daily run and the collection container the sap is 
     
     collected one or more times per day and taken to the stove for boiling. (Note - 
     
     the amount of time left between trips to empty the containers should be short 
     
     enough to prevent a buildup of bacteria in the sap. The actual time you can allow 
     
     depends on the temperature.) The collected sap is placed in a large shallow pan 
     
    

    
     and brought to a full boil. At this point the temperature 
     
     I 4 is taken and recorded. The rapid goiling is continued 
     
     l< until the syrup's temperature is 7 F higher than the first 
     
     ‘- a boiling temperature. At this point the syrup is finished 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     and ready for straining. If you take longer than a few 
     
     1J1“ hours to boil off the water in the sap you should recheck 
     
     ’. the boiling point with a pan of water. You cannot assume 
     
     . it is 212 since it is dependent on the air pressure at 
     
     i I that time and place. If your finishing temperature is one 
     
     , p degree too low the syrup will have a higher chance of 
     
     \ ;\ spoiling in storage and if it's one degree too high the 
     
    
   
   
    
     K 
     
     wk .\ &\ (continued on page 14...; 
     
    
   
   
    
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