Sap is flowing...

[Eric Haynes]

I decided this year to tap into some of my own maple trees. I've only got 2, but I tapped them last night before the freeze and just checked them about an hour ago. 10 gallons of sap already so I decided to start evaporating. This is going to end up super dark because of how long it is going to take, but should still be excellent.

[Eric Haynes]

And...location is everything...

[assateague]

Is it too late for me to try this?

[assateague]

Down here, I mean.

[Eric Haynes]

Down here, I mean.

I honestly have no clue. As long as it freezes at night and warms in the day, yes. Have they budded already?

I am just looking to make a gallon of finished product, so once I get 40-50 gallons of sap I'm pulling them off. Next year I will start earlier and be ready, knowing how much just 2 trees will produce.

[assateague]

Ah, guess it's too late then. Not budded, but will just barely hit 32 at night, then into the 50s-60s.

[Eric Haynes]

Ah, guess it's too late then. Not budded, but will just barely hit 32 at night, then into the 50s-60s.

Can't hurt to try, but I'm not sure you'd get much.

[Eric Haynes]

I've already started the process since it will likely take days on top of my woodstove.

[Eric Haynes]

Barely simmering

[aunt betty]

We did this once. There were 5 sugar maples in the yard then. We have more now. Mom kept burning the sap and we gave up.
She had an electric stove and low was too high for the process.

Maybe I'll try again. We have lots of maples now. The hedge...turned into a row of maples over the years.

[Eric Haynes]

We did this once. There were 5 sugar maples in the yard then. We have more now. Mom kept burning the sap and we gave up.
She had an electric stove and low was too high for the process.

Maybe I'll try again. We have lots of maples now. The hedge...turned into a row of maples over the years.

I've done it over direct wood before, which is incredibly hot. The last 2 degrees you literally have to watch non stop or you could over boil. Even over boiling by 5 or more degrees won't burn it, it will just start to sugar up. SHe must have been leaving it on and not watching it to have it burn.

[aunt betty]

We did this once. There were 5 sugar maples in the yard then. We have more now. Mom kept burning the sap and we gave up.
She had an electric stove and low was too high for the process.

Maybe I'll try again. We have lots of maples now. The hedge...turned into a row of maples over the years.

I've done it over direct wood before, which is incredibly hot. The last 2 degrees you literally have to watch non stop or you could over boil. Even over boiling by 5 or more degrees won't burn it, it will just start to sugar up. SHe must have been leaving it on and not watching it to have it burn.

uh huh. Would get yackin on phone.
Thought she could time it or something.

[Eric Haynes]

We did this once. There were 5 sugar maples in the yard then. We have more now. Mom kept burning the sap and we gave up.
She had an electric stove and low was too high for the process.

Maybe I'll try again. We have lots of maples now. The hedge...turned into a row of maples over the years.

I've done it over direct wood before, which is incredibly hot. The last 2 degrees you literally have to watch non stop or you could over boil. Even over boiling by 5 or more degrees won't burn it, it will just start to sugar up. SHe must have been leaving it on and not watching it to have it burn.

uh huh. Would get yackin on phone.
Thought she could time it or something.

Haha, been there. It takes so long to get it to 215-217 and then all the sudden, bam! Too hot. I'd be pissed to get that close to just have to throw it away.

[BrewGUN]

I just finished my first of this years boil this morning, ended up with 3.5+qts. Probably do one more boil next weekend. The closer to the bud you get, the lower the sugar % in the sap, requiring more boiling.

[BrewGUN]

I've been getting about 15 gal a day between 4 trees. I have more trees I could tap but don't have an efficient enough setup to do that kind of quantity, and time.

[Eric Haynes]

I've been getting about 15 gal a day between 4 trees. I have more trees I could tap but don't have an efficient enough setup to do that kind of quantity, and time.

Are you finishing on your stove? I still need to pickup a wool sock for my finished product, which could be days from now.

[BrewGUN]

I've been getting about 15 gal a day between 4 trees. I have more trees I could tap but don't have an efficient enough setup to do that kind of quantity, and time.

Are you finishing on your stove? I still need to pickup a wool sock for my finished product, which could be days from now.

Yep stove finishing, then use a coffee filter or cheese cloth or fryer filter to filter it at bottling. I like pint and half pint mason jars for packaging.

[3legged_lab]

What's the woods sock for? Flavor?

[Eric Haynes]

What's the woods sock for? Flavor?

Yeah, flavor...lol


That or filtering the sand out.

[3legged_lab]

What's the woods sock for? Flavor?

Yeah, flavor...lol


That or filtering the sand out.

Does that work better than coffee filters?

[Eric Haynes]

What's the woods sock for? Flavor?

Yeah, flavor...lol


That or filtering the sand out.

Does that work better than coffee filters?

Yes, I only use the coffee filter for the filtering before I start boiling. Doesn't work for the sand.

[Eric Haynes]

It does work, but the finish product stays cloudy and has a slight burnt taste to it. Nothing bad though and I do like it, but the sock makes it crystal clear.

[3legged_lab]

Interesting, you would think there would be a commercially made filter for the purpose.

[Eric Haynes]

Interesting, you would think there would be a commercially made filter for the purpose.

There is, that's the wool sock I'm talking about.

[Eric Haynes]

[Eric Haynes]

Except the one I use is wool.

[3legged_lab]

Except the one I use is wool.

So its not really a sock and I've been wasting your fucking time with all the questions.

[Eric Haynes]

Except the one I use is wool.

So its not really a sock and I've been wasting your fucking time with all the questions.

It's a sock, just not a sock you would wear on your foot. Is a gun sock not really a sock either?

[jarbo03]

We did this once. There were 5 sugar maples in the yard then. We have more now. Mom kept burning the sap and we gave up.
She had an electric stove and low was too high for the process.

Maybe I'll try again. We have lots of maples now. The hedge...turned into a row of maples over the years.

The Nuwave would be perfect.

[jarbo03]

Shall I send my empty half gallon jug to ya Eric?