You don’t need to be big time to enjoy it. Buy a few 5/16” taps off amazon or any of the online vendors, drill a 3-4” hole at a slight upwards angle 2-4’ off the ground and pound the tap in. Small trees 8-10” diameter get one tap. Bigger can get 2-4 taps depending on size.Is there a kit I can buy that isn’t garbage? Just to do a couple trees with my kids for personal consumption? Not big time like you guys I know there are tons of starter kits but would like something I can reuse and not just throw away money any suggestions from the pros?
Most likely silver maple, but yes you can tap them. They will have lower sugar content but will still make tasty syrup.I've got five huge maple trees in my front yard but I don't know which type they are and if I could tap them for syrup.
This is why I like to get some of the first or early tapped stuff.It will take 40-70 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup depending on your maple species and sap runs. Each tap will flow for 6-8 weeks and the flavor gets stronger and darker as the season progresses. A tap will typically provide a pint to a quart of syrup each over the season. If you boil a lot of sap from say, 30-40 taps, inside on a stove you can make it rain inside your house. Don’t ask how I know.
You’ve pretty much got it. You can leave the partially processed sap in a large stock pot until it is ready as you add to it as long as you bring it to a low boil every day. Then we’ll have a week or two of no sap run and you can finish what you have. When it’s done put it in pint or quart mason jars, seal them, and immerse them totally in a pot of water on a rolling boil for half an hour to sterilize and they will keep for years.Ok I ordered 10 taps I suppose I should start picking my candidates for tapping.
this is what I am planning.
Pick a tree, insert taps, hang milk jug, collect sap daily, boil it (outside), then it is shelf stable put it into a mason jar set it on shelf, repeat tomorrow add to the same jar.
about how long does the boiling take? I know it depends on how much sap. Just rough estimate ?
if there is anything I am missing please correct me before I learn the hard way.
Thanks for the memories, Shibum.You don’t need to be big time to enjoy it. Buy a few 5/16” taps off amazon or any of the online vendors, drill a 3-4” hole at a slight upwards angle 2-4’ off the ground and pound the tap in. Small trees 8-10” diameter get one tap. Bigger can get 2-4 taps depending on size.
You can collect in anything you can hang on the taps. My first year it was plastic milk jugs and bleach bottles.
You’ll get sap flow on some days when it gets above 40 degrees or so. You can collect until the trees start to bud out. Sap will start to go bad after a couple of days in warmer weather so collect and boil every day or two. If you get a few ants or flies in the sap as you are collecting, no big deal, you are boiling and filtering it.
Boil down the sap until it is as thick as you like. You can do a rolling boil at first but slow it down to a simmer as you get closer. When you are really close it will start to foam and will do so really quickly, like opening a soda can you shook up, so be ready to remove the heat fast. At this point you can continue to very gently heat (use a water bath for better control) to the point you like. Filter through any filter paper. Coffee filter, paper towel, whatever.
Enjoy! If it gets a little mold on top after stored for a few months, heat it up, skim off the mold, and you are good to go.
It will take 40-70 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup depending on your maple species and sap runs. Each tap will flow for 6-8 weeks and the flavor gets stronger and darker as the season progresses. A tap will typically provide a pint to a quart of syrup each over the season. If you boil a lot of sap from say, 30-40 taps, inside on a stove you can make it rain inside your house. Don’t ask how I know.
We made syrup when I was a kid. Miss the people I did it with. Had a 5 tap tree in the front front yard. Have gotten away from pancakes and waffles so not much call for it in my 2 person household. But I keep a quart of the good stuff around. Maybe next time I eat ice cream.You’ve pretty much got it. You can leave the partially processed sap in a large stock pot until it is ready as you add to it as long as you bring it to a low boil every day. Then we’ll have a week or two of no sap run and you can finish what you have. When it’s done put it in pint or quart mason jars, seal them, and immerse them totally in a pot of water on a rolling boil for half an hour to sterilize and they will keep for years.
How long it takes depends on how much boiling area you have and how hard you boil it. Harder boils darken the syrup as it caramelizes the sugars. A low wide pan will boil off faster, but you also risk scorching it.
This is why I got excited about our RO system, it takes the hundred gallons of sap I have now and makes 25 gallons of concentrate. Much less fuel involved to boil down.
If you ever get a little north to the wabash area I could hook you up with some. If you happen to be up when the operation is running you could stop by and see the process. It is a larger scale operation. All interesting stuffI would LOVE to purchase some Indiana maple syrup!!!! will follow this post as well - I'm in Avon. I went to a few places that made syrup up in Maine...one day would love to know how to do it on a smaller scale but other projects have prevailed to date
If you got the metal taps, don’t pound them in too hard or you’ll split the wood. If plastic taps, seat them firmly.Well 10 taps and hangers came in the mail going to go out tomorrow and put some out! Any last minute tips for me and my daughters?
Thanks doesn’t look like we have a good day coming up in the next week is there anytime too late to start?
If you got the metal taps, don’t pound them in too hard or you’ll split the wood. If plastic taps, seat them firmly.
You’ll have best results if you wait for the morning of the next time daytime high temps will be above 40f or so. Tapping when it is frozen out doesn’t get you much and you basically start the clock once you drill. The hole will produce for 6-8 weeks before it starts to heal and stop.
Man, the last time I saw you was at the Indy 1500 a few years ago now. Hope you're doing well.I got a small bottle of pure maple syrup as a gift from a friend in Wisconsin. It’s in a small glass bottle with a handle on it and no label or markings at all. Will be trying it soon to give feedback.
Thank you Tyler!!! I may take you up on thatIf you ever get a little north to the wabash area I could hook you up with some. If you happen to be up when the operation is running you could stop by and see the process. It is a larger scale operation. All interesting stuff
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Absolutely!Thank you Tyler!!! I may take you up on that