From Maple Tree to Syrup by Melanie Mitchell

– Found in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest region – Requires cooler/freezing temperatures to thrive aka: the Pacific Northwest trees not always ideal candidates for making syrup – Mainly found in Northern Canada – Doesn’t have as much of a maple flavor as other syrups – Lower sugar content, requiring more gallons of sap to yield – Similar in sugar content and taste to sugar maples – Abundant species that can tolerate a variety of climate conditions – Also have a short sugaring season – Lower sugar content-1.7% – Yields a thin, light-colored syrup – Produces a sandy consistency of sugar – High sugar content, but not as high as sugar maples-1.5-2% – Grow in moist soil – Short sugaring season that alters its taste – Taste similar to sugar maples and yield about the same time of year – Found in the Midwest – Most commonly used for maple syrup – Have the highest concentration of sugar – Longest sugaring period – Produce the largest amount of syrup You can actually make syrup from some trees other than Maples such as Walnut or Birch but here are the most commonly used maple trees for making maple syrup: Maple Tree Species Syrup flavor largely depends on sugar concentration, the weather and climate the trees grow in, and the amount of time the syrup boils. The Ideal Maple Trees to Tap to Make SyrupĮven though you can use any maple tree to make maple syrup, not all maple trees are created equal for producing the sweetest syrup. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the homemade maple syrup process.

No matter which maple tree you have available, you can use it to make maple syrup, provided you have all the right information and follow the proper steps. The significant difference between various maple trees is the sugar concentration within the sap, which affects the syrup’s overall sweetness, making some trees better candidates than others. You can make maple syrup out of any maple tree species. Even maple syrups labeled as “natural” in the local grocery stores pale in comparison to homemade maple syrup-but can you make maple syrup from just any type of maple tree? Making maple syrup is a delicious way to take advantage of having a maple tree in your yard.

From Maple Tree to Syrup by Melanie Mitchell