Re: Boiling down maple sap faster?
Date: Mon Mar 2 17:02:19 1998
Posted By: Eric Biddinger, Grad Student, Horticulture, Penn State University
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 888341655.ChMessage:
Homemade maple syrup!!! You sure got my attention!
I think I can give you a little insight into your problem, but I am
afraid you might not be able to do much about it.
First of all, the amount of sugar in the maple sap will vary from year
to year and tree to tree. Obviously, if it was a poor growing season,
the trees will have produced less sugar than if the season was good.
In the end, this means that there is more water in the sap that needs
to be boiled off to get to the right consistency. The more water that
has to be removed, the longer it takes.
In addition, a kitchen stove is not the best heat source for boiling
down syrup. Most producers use a fire fueled by wood, oil, or gas.
These are cheaper alternatives, especially when compared to an
electric stove. In addition, a good fire will produce a lot more heat
than a single burner.
I have to admit that I have never made my own syrup, but I might have
a suggestion that will help in the short term. You might want to go
with smaller batches. It should take less time to heat up and boil
down. While it may take less time per batch, you will end up spending
more time over all with preparation, clean-up, and more batches.
I am going to point you to one group of real experts. The Massachusetts Maple
Producers Association have a real nice web sight with a lot of
information on the history and production of maple syrup. I suggest
you check it out. In addition, there are a number of other web sights
that can be found using an internet search engine.
I am sure you will smooth your mother over with the first batch of
fresh maple syrup over a hot stack of pancakes! I'm making myself
hungry.... Just remember, you can't rush a good thing!!
Thanks for the question!
Eric J. Biddinger
Grad Student - Department of Horticulture
Penn State University ejb190@psu.edu