South Woodstock, VT Circa 1960
“In Vermont, there is maple syrup in it – it doesn’t matter what it is. Cake. Ice cream. Coffee. Soup. Mustard. Concrete.” Maureen Johnson
I love almost anything with maple sugar or syrup in it. Winter and the holidays mean more pancakes and waffles in my life, so I am focused on the importance of having a delicious maple syrup. When I embarked on my search for the best, I realized that maple syrup is more complex than I ever imagined.
The basics:
Maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees and is accessed by drilling holes in the trunks and collecting the sap. The sap is heated to evaporate most of the water in the sap. What is left is the concentrated syrup. The United States and Canada dominate maple syrup production. Maple syrup is graded based on its color and taste. In the U.S., a syrup labeled as maple syrup must be made almost entirely from maple sap. Three species of trees are used predominantly to produce maple syrup. They are the sugar maple, black maple, and the red maple, because of their high sugar content.
Quick facts:
- It takes about 40-50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.
- A tree needs to be about 40 years old to be large enough to tap.
- A typical sugaring season lasts 4 to 6 weeks.
- Maple syrup has antioxidants and nutrients and is considered healthier than honey and refined sugar.
- The healthiest of the grades is Dark because it has more antioxidants and mineral content than the lighter colors.
- Syrup color changes, going from light to dark, as the season progresses.
- Maple tree sap is about 2% sucrose, and the rest is water.
- Read the list of ingredients on any bottle of maple syrup you want to buy to make sure it is 100% pure maple syrup with no additional ingredients.
- Darker syrup has a stronger flavor than the lighter syrups, but the quality and sugar content is the same.
- A single tree can yield 10 gallons of sap!
Photo courtesy o0f unh.edu
In 2015 a new grading system for maple syrup was put in place by the USDA. The grades are:
Golden – syrup is light in color and delicate in taste. It is great as a table syrup or over ice cream or yogurt.
Amber – syrup has an amber color and a rich, full-bodied flavor. Consumers who want the classic maple syrup flavor prefer this grade.
Dark – syrup has a darker amber color with the strongest maple flavor.
Very Dark – syrup has an almost black color and the strongest maple flavor. It is produced at the end of the sugaring season. This grade is used most for cooking when the maple flavors should be identifiable in the finished dish.
Most popular maple syrup brands:
Anderson’s Maple Syrup, Inc. Very Dark – called ‘the perfect syrup’ by one reviewer. Great on pancakes, as a sweetener for yogurt or savory recipes. $23.33 for 32 oz.
Hidden Springs Maple Organic Vermont Maple Syrup (dark, robust) – best used in recipes for marinades, on salmon, and roasted vegetables. $22.95 for 32 oz.
Barred Woods Pure Vermont Maple Syrup, Amber Rich – best used for baking and in oatmeal. $23.95 for a quart (32 oz.) jug.
Osborne Family Maple Syrup, Amber Rich – best used on pancakes, ice cream. $24.00 for 33.8 oz. glass liter.
Butternut Mountain Farm Maple Syrup, Amber Light – considered fancy, great in cocktails. $18.19 for 32 oz.
Escuminac Late Harvest – Dark, robust, best for adding flavor to recipes. $29.50 for 33.8 oz.
Runamok Maple Sugarmaker’s Cut Maple Syrup – Amber, best used to bake into granola, or on top of yogurt. $33.79 for 25 oz.
Storing maple syrup:
Once it’s opened, maple syrup should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent mold.
Pure maple syrup can be kept sealed in the pantry for a year, open in the refrigerator for a year, and it can be kept in the freezer for many years.
Climate change effects:
Due to climate change, the prime season for maple sugaring season has grown shorter and less predictable every year. Ideal sugaring weather for March through early April in Vermont requires warm daytime temperatures and freeing nights. Winter is getting warmer and freezing nights are in short supply, so sugar makers are not able to collect enough sap.
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