Topic: Maple syrup

[HondanutRider]

Every few years we tap some birch.  Its white birch that I've tapped and when it runs, usually just when the maples have finished, it really produces.  As stated before, you need a lot more of it than maple to boil down, which also takes a long time.  Its not really sweet like the maple syrup - you wouldn't want it on your pancakes.  Its more like a balsamic vinaigrette and is used as a seasoning or marinade.  We like it on grilled salmon or pork- particularly good on pork tenderloin.  It also can be used to make a salad dressing.  More expensive and rarer to get than maple syrup.

[Frankencake]

The Birch syrup, which came from white paper birch, went off at 65 brix.  We ran it through an R/O that brought it up to a whopping 6.5 brix concentrate before evaporating it in the wood fired unit.  It ended up as a sweet and flavorful syrup that was great on pancakes.  The company also makes a "breakfast" blend with mixing it with (?) corn syrup. 
From the R/O we had about hundreds of gallons of water a day that we stored for cooking, baths and drinking.  Even though it went through the R/O, it still had just a hint of flavor.  There is nothing like drinking water that came from a tree in Alaska.
 Check em out:    http://www.alaskabirchsyrup.com/

[bwaller]

Cool story 78SS.

[74cb750]

well, as far as birch sapping...none of th trees on my land seem to live long enough to grow more than 8 inches in diameter. I imagine this would be to small to tap.

[Frankencake]

well, as far as birch sapping...none of th trees on my land seem to live long enough to grow more than 8 inches in diameter. I imagine this would be to small to tap.

Yeah, I've been looking around Vermont for a stand of birch that wouldn't give up the ghost too soon.  They don't really live long down here.
The problem is that you need 95-100 gal/sap to make 1 gal/syrup.  You have to tap a lot of trees to get results for even one day.  If you don't mind a big dead patch on your land then try it.  I can't really tell you how small is too small.  We had large trees to choose from up there.--ss

[goon 1492]

growing up on real maple syrup and honey, I do support maple makers and am training my kids to do the same, just as I had to break my wife of only buying white bread, espically since I grew up on real wheat bread....
My step dad tried to make maple syrup from our red maple tree one year when I was growing up, didn't come out quite as he planned. Now I just use the wood for smokin on the grill, good stuff along with pecan....

[Frankencake]

growing up on real maple syrup and honey, I do support maple makers and am training my kids to do the same, just as I had to break my wife of only buying white bread, espically since I grew up on real wheat bread....
My step dad tried to make maple syrup from our red maple tree one year when I was growing up, didn't come out quite as he planned. Now I just use the wood for smokin on the grill, good stuff along with pecan....

So we can assume that your picture represents the outcome of growing up on wheat bread and maple syrup?

[goon 1492]

Nooooo, that's 6 good unfiltered wheat beers from Boulevard brewery+ bordom.
Oh wait I did say wheat..... well could be worse at least I'm not corn fed....