Maple sugaring time again

We are a little late for tapping in the PacNW but we tapped several of our big leaf maples this weekend and we already have several gallons of sap to reduce this week. This year we aren't doing just maple syrup. At each boiling session when we have reduced by half, will take out a couple cups for freezing to use when cooking our rice instead of plain water. When we get down to 3/4 reduced, we will take out enough to make ice cubes to add to scotch and bourbon. Usually our sugaring season lasts a couple months depending on the weather and they way the weather is today (warm days and not so cold nights) we may be done in a week if we don't get more cold weather.

what is your sap to syrup ratio?
I used to figure about 50 to 1 when tapping sugar maple.
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For our local big leaf maple, 2 gallons of sap turn into a little over a cup of syrup. It should be close to the same. What is interesting is that our local red alder also make a good syrup that is tangy and bright red. Unfortunately, the sap flow with alder is pretty low so after one batch, I never made it again. FYI - the Canadians up on Vancouver Island make syrup commercially from the big leaf maple but only a few hobbyists do it down here.

You guys are lucky. I feel sorry for people that have never tried pure, real, fresh maple syrup.
There is absolutely NO comparison with the garbage thats sold in the stores but its very expensive.
I have 3 or 4 jugs in the pantry that stays stored there while we use the crappy fake stuff just because its so expensive we cant bring ourselves to use it

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Originally Posted by reloader28

You guys are lucky. I feel sorry for people that have never tried pure, real, fresh maple syrup.
There is absolutely NO comparison with the garbage thats sold in the stores but its very expensive.

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Kind of true of most foods..if you have ever had a fresh of the tree ripe banana or pineapple ripe just cut ect ect you kind of turn your nose at the store offerings

At least 2 1/2 months away here.
Some birch syruping up north as well.

Shiloh

Grew up in New England and wound up in Florida. This is my go-to maple syrup now. Its amazing! http://www.bobosmountainsugar.com/

I tapped one tree early in January during the January thaw and the drill bit came out wet and the sap started dripping before I set the spike and It filled a gallon milk jug about a 1/4 full then stopped again when the temp dropped down again. It's still a little early here in NW Illinois but I tapped two a couple days ago and they are running slow yet. The Temp dropped back in the low single digits again.
I heard a poplar tree pop last night so I know that they are full of sap.
If any of you ever tapped a Mulberry is that good ? I don't see to much about them but I have so many I cant keep the stumps from back trying to get rid of them.
Kurt

I tried mulberry last year, made a pint of syrup from my one tree... tasty!

Mary I did some research on tapping mulberry trees but again I didn't find much and the sap is high in latex. So I just might have to making the syrup from cooking the fruit down. The steam juicer I got last fall might be just the ticket for making the juice and cooking it down making syrup like I have been but it takes a lot of sugar making it this way.
The boxelders are running.

Mulberry fruit syrup is good stuff! I do it every year and friends beg for it. I cook the berries, use a potato masher to smash them up, strain well pressing to get all the juice from the skin and little stem bits then simmer it down to syrup consistency.