Backyard Maple Syrup

by Dick Ridgeway

Making maple syrup is a job anyone can do. All that’s required is a little patience because it does take time. But the results are well worth the time spent.

Sap runs in maple trees early in March when the temperature is above freezing during the day but below freezing at night. Sap is mainly water that carries nourishment to the buds, including a small amount of sugar. You can make your own maple syrup by collecting sap and boiling it to concentrate the sugar. (It takes 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup.) Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Make sure you have the right kind of trees. There are several types of maple trees and all produce sap, but the sap from sugar maples is best for making maple syrup. To determine if your tree is a sugar maple, examine the buds and twigs in winter.Twigs of maple trees grow in pairs on opposite sides of a branch. Sugar maple twigs are relatively fine when compared to other maples or ash trees. The buds of sugar maples are brown, hard and pointed. If you press your thumb on the point, it will pierce the skin before it collapses.

2. Measure the tree(s) before you start. A tree should be at least 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter to take a single tap. For a second tap, the tree must be 40 cm (16 inches) wide.

3. Purchase or borrow a spile. A spile (also called a spout) is used to carry sap from the tree to a collecting bucket. You can purchase standard spiles from a maple augar & syrup supplier (check the Yellow Pages), a country hardware store or Co-op.

4. Tap the tree. Tapping is the process of drilling a hole into a tree and installing a spile. Standard spiles need a 7/16 inch (11mm) hole. The hole should be about 4 cm (1 inches) deep. (The idea is to get in under the bark, but not into the heart of the tree.) Use a brace & bit or a cordless drill and drill slightly upward to make the hole. A spile needs to fit tightly to prevent leakage; lightly tapping the spile with a hammer will do the job.

5. Hang a bucket or plastic jug from each spile to catch the sap. The bucket or jug needs to be a good size because a tree can produce from one to 12 litres a day. You will also need a large pail or tub to store the sap (make sure to keep it cold) until you boil it.

6. Choose a suitable source of heat for boiling the sap. This will depend on how much syrup you plan to make. A kitchen stove is handy for making small amounts of syrup (less than a half gallon) but not for large amounts because the steam may fog windows and wilt curtains and wallpaper. For small amounts, you can also use a camp stove outdoors. The best way to heat larger amounts of sap (enough to produce a half-gallon or gallon of syrup) is by building a fire in the backyard. You’ll need a good supply of wood, collected ahead of time and kept dry. You can make a small fireplace using several cinder blocks and an old grill.

7. Evaporate the sap. Place the sap in a large pot or pan and bring it to a boil. Most of the liquid must evaporate to produce the syrup. After the sap has boiled for awhile and the level of liquid has fallen noticeably, you will need to add more sap to keep it from boiling dry and burning. It is best to add small amounts of pre-heated sap at a time to keep the pot boiling. Once you’ve added all the sap you’ve collected, boil it until it is highly concentrated. Note: always be careful around a burning fire and boiling sap.

8. Test to see if the syrup is ready. Begin testing when the bubbles turn a syrupy brown colour and rise in the pan. To test, scoop up a little syrup in a ladle and pour it back in the pan. Look at the ladle. If more than one drop at a time or a thin sheet of syrup falls off the edge of the ladle, you know the syrup is ready. This test is called Sheeting. Filter the syrup while hot to remove impurities then pour into a sterilized bottle and seal. If your syrup looks a little cloudy, let it settle for a day or two.

9. Wash your equipment well before you put it away. Spoiled sap on equipment can taint next year’s syrup.

10. Enjoy!

You can learn more about the art of making maple syrup by visiting a sugar bush or checking out the many resources available at your local library or on-line.

Dick Ridgeway is a painter who also enjoys making maple syrup and tending a small apple orchard in New Hampshire.