Making Maple Syrup 101

Not only is it great on waffles and pancakes, but this naturally sweet substance tastes even better when it’s homemade. That’s right. We are talking about maple syrup! When the winter weather begins to stay above freezing, maple syrup season starts. Are you wanting to start making your own, but you are not sure if your maple tree is the right one for the job? The good news is that you can use the sap of any healthy maple trees, but certain saps are sweeter than others. Learn it all in these sweet and simple steps for making maple syrup for beginners.

Best Maple Trees for Syrup

While maple syrup can be made from the sap of any maple tree species, there are certain ones with a higher concentration of sugar making the syrup naturally sweeter than others. Because of that, these are the top Minnesota maples for making maple syrup:

• Sugar Maple: As its name suggests, Sugar Maple sap has one of the highest sugar concentrations with its sap being 98% water and 2% sugar. Mix in its longer sap collecting period, the Sugar Maple is an ideal tree for making maple sugar.
• Black Maple: Much like the Sugar Maple, Black Maples also have a high sugar concentration of about 2%. This species begins its spring growth period later than the Red and Silver Maples. This means the tree doesn’t break its dormancy as early so the sap can be collected for a longer period.
• Red Maple: While the Red Maple has a lower sugar concentration compared the Sugar and Black Maple, it still can be used to make tasty maple syrup. However, it does have a shorter sap collecting period then the others since it breaks its dormancy for the growth in spring earlier, making the sap more unsavory for syrup.
• Silver Maple: Though the Silver Maple can be used to make maple syrup, it is not the first choice for most. It does have the lowest sugar concentration of these four Minnesota maples and the shortest sap collecting season but will still make good syrup for families wanting to give their hand at making homemade maple syrup.

Though not true maple syrup, Birch, Walnut, and Boxelder trees can all be tapped for sap and made into syrup though the process may differ slightly.

The Science Behind Tapping Maple Trees

Before we start tapping maple trees, it may be helpful to know how the tree’s sap flow works. On warm spring days with cold nights, the carbon dioxide gas in the tree creates pressure that pulls the trees sap up from its roots. Once the temperature rises above freezing, the carbon dioxide expands, pushing the sap out of the tap holes or any other breaks in the bark. This is why you can see sap dripping down some maple trees on warm winter days. This cycle will continue until the tree’s internal pressure is the same as the pressure outside the tree. Since this process relies on the weather, there are days where you may collect more sap than others.

How to Tap a Maple Tree

When tapping maple trees, first check that your tree is at least 12 inches in diameter. If your tree is smaller than that, it is not mature enough to tap and heal once maple syrup season is over. Grabbing a drill, drill bit, hammer, spile, hook, and a bucket or bag to collect the sap in (plastic buckets, milk jugs, or coffee cans can work), you are ready to get started.

1. About three feet above the ground, drill three inches into the tree at an upward angle.
2. Lightly hammer your spile into the hole but be careful not to make the wood around the drilled hole split.
3. Once the spile is in the tree, hang your container on the spile. It is best to choose a hanger with a cover. This way no rain, snow, or other debris will get into the sap.
4. Empty your sap container about once a day, storing the sap in a cool place until ready to process it into syrup. You will need 40 parts sap for 1 part syrup, so you will need ten gallons of sap to make 1 quart of syrup. 

How to Make Maple Syrup

Processing your maple sap into syrup may sound intimidating but it only requires boiling the sap down to become syrup. Make sure you boil your sap outside or in a well-ventilated area since the process can take several hours.

1. Using a large pan (ideally with high sides), pour in some of your sap and bring it to a boil.
2. As the water in the sap evaporates, add more sap in small amounts. Be careful not to add too much at once and kill the boil of the sap.
3. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the sap’s temperature.
4. When you notice the sap becoming darker and the bubbles smaller, pour the sap into a smaller pan.
5. Once your sap reaches 219 degrees Fahrenheit, your syrup is done!
6. For the smooth consistency, strain your syrup through a cheesecloth, pour into jars, and refrigerate. To keep the syrup for longer periods of time, can the syrup in mason jars.

Maple trees not only bring beautiful colors to your yard, but a fun family activity for those wanting to try their hand at making maple syrup themselves. From learning about the maple tree’s sap flow to tapping the tree to cooking the sap down to syrup. It is a unique learning experience for the whole family. However, it can only be done on a healthy maple tree. If you notice your maple tree showing signs of disease or decay, contact the experts at Ivan’s Tree Service. With our help, your maple tree will be back in perfect maple syruping condition in no time.