HOW TO MAKE & MARKET MAPLE SYRUP
(Page 11 of 15)
For a different kind of treat later in the year, set aside
a gallon or two of the fresh maple juice as you're
transferring it to your storage tanks. Take the sap you've
saved into the kitchen, heat it to 160°F, pour the
juice into sterilized jars and seal them. Put the jars away
in your basement or root cellar until a hot summer day . .
. then try them as a light and refreshing drink!
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Don't plan to store the main body of your sap in the
holding tanks for more than three or four days because the
raw liquid does spoil. This spoilage is the result of
microbial growth which results in an easily recognizable
sour taste. Discard all spoiled or fermented sap. .Don't
try to save it. Even a small amount in a batch of
otherwise-good syrup will affect its flavor and color.
Commercial growers store their sap in large underground
tanks lit with blacklight to inhibit these bacteria but the
best a small operator can do is (1) keep his sap cool to
slow down the microorganisms, (2) keep his holding tanks
covered to prevent outside contamination and (3) boil the
sap as soon as possible after collecting it.
COOKING
Here comes the tricky part: reducing 40 gallons of sap to a
single gallon of silky smooth, clear syrup. You simply
can't be too careful while "boiling down", especially in
the beginning when you're learning exactly how your arch
and pan will work together.
A pan full of cold sap takes a long time to heat up, even
over a roaring fire. After the juice begins to boil, it
still may be an hour or two before there's a noticeable
reduction in the volume of the sap. At this point, things
seem to be moving very slowly and you may get tired of
checking the pan so frequently when nothing seems to be
happening.
Don't get careless! After the sap concentrates to a certain
density things happen very quickly, and you may easily
leave the sugarhouse for what seems to be only a few
minutes and return to find a sticky burnt mass bubbling on
the bottom of the pan. If this happens, you may want to
salvage the syrup for yourself, but don't try to "improve"
it by mixing it with more sap. Empty the pan, clean it out
and start over with all kinds of firm resolve to do better
next time. Above all, don't get angry at yourself or anyone
else involved . . . it's all part of the game.
Do take every possible precaution against burning the syrup
. . . even a slight scorching will taint its flavor and can
wipe out several days' work. I'm not saying that
you can't use the scorched product, but it
definitely won't be up to standard for selling . . . and,
if you're not careful, you may find yourself with an
overstock of a smoky-looking liquid labeled "home use".
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