Tree tapping

[Shine0n]

I've been looking into making my own syrup for a while now and as I have over 30 sugar maples and 5 black walnuts I've decided to up and order a set up of 50 spires and tube and will begin to tap trees in late January or possibly February to collect sap for production of syrup.

I know that the yield is low and I
don't particularly care about that, I'm just soo tired of paying 10 bucks for a small amount of syrup and I think why the hell not right!
I have the trees, I have the place to process and I absolutely love maple syrup, I've also looked into the walnuts and from my research it makes a fine syrup as well so why not. lol

Anyone out there who does this willing to share some insight, please do so.
Thanks, Shine0n

[Old Town]

Ever since I read RandyMarchCt thread on the maple syrup rum I have been thinking about doing the same thing. I just don't have enough sugar maples. I do have some birch trees tho which could do the trick. Making syrup seems similar to our hobby. It takes a lot to make a little but it's worth it in the long run..

[hpby98]

Ever since I read RandyMarchCt thread on the maple syrup rum I have been thinking about doing the same thing. I just don't have enough sugar maples. I do have some berch trees tho which could do the trick. Making syrup seems similar to our hobby. It takes a lot to make a little but it's worth it in the long run..

I’ve had birch syrup and it is tasty. Best of luck!

[MichiganCornhusker]

Inspired by RandyMarsh I tapped my first trees a few years ago, had great success.
I put 9 pails on three trees but only two of the trees really produced.
I collected around 40 gallons and boiled it down but not all the way to syrup.
I think it made two or three bottles of pure maple spirit.

I remember it tasting retched at about 6 months but turned into something special at a year.

I forget the ratios, but I believe you need to boil much more walnut sap down to get syrup, and even more for birch.

If you have the trees definitely go for it.

[Shine0n]

The video I watched looked very interesting, the whole family was out collecting and it seems like a good time for little investment.
My brother in law has 5 massive trees in his back yard we can tap too, I have access to a 275 gal tote which I may but a second hand one my self.
Might also be a bartering tool wit the local farmers for some good wheat. hmmm

I think this will be a good little hobby for the fam!

[Shine0n]

OT, I was thinking the same for the maple rum

Husker, I think I remember reading about your shine, I read so much on here I can't remember but I think I do lol

There will most definitely be some likker made from this, I know I won't boil all the way to a syrup for that part but maybe to around 10% potential then a fermentation.

I guess I would treat it like honey with some added nutes (fermaid O)
With as many trees as I have access too I don't think I'll have much problem having enough for both eating and drinking but the eating part will come before likker.

I have a 7.75 gal keg and 7.5 gal thumper so a smaller batch isn't out of the question, I guess it all depends on how much I can retrieve as to how much liker I can make.

[ben stiller]

The main thing to consider is what you will use as a heat source and pan. I am currently waiting for a quote from a local fab shop
on a baffled continuous run pan. Last few years I have been using propane but only made enough for home consumption. This year
I am planning to go bigger and use a wood fired setup and larger pan. I also got some inspiration from Randy's thread and am hoping to try his recipe this spring. Finally have my new place setup to the point that I can run the still again. Been over a year in the making.

[Shine0n]

I have a local scrap yard that has a heaping pile of ss, I frequently go there to see what's on the menu for my distilling purposes and now I have a new purpose
I would also like to have wood fired and it's very possible for next year's harvest but this year will be solely propane, I have a newish 100 lb tank setup for stillin and think I'll do this year like so but wood is a much cheaper source and is definitely on the table for the to do list.

This is VERY new to me and although I've watched videos and have a basic vision I still have no hands on experience and I'm hoping I don't get too far over my head in this but I'm going full throddle and with some help from family I should be fine.

God knows if I have a 100 gallon day I may be in trouble but I have folks on board willing to help and for that I'm very thankful. Plus between us we have enough freezer space to accommodate a couple hundred gallons of raw sap.
All syrup will be pasteurized and bottled in quarts and half gallon jugs, all that's going to be used for likker will be reduced to 10% sugars maybe 15% and fermented right away. From what I've read the sugar maple is at 2% and I still need to do some research on what part of it is fermentables and so fourth.
I have my hands full and I know this but I figure it's a good reason to go into the woods and spend quality time with family and friends.

[Shine0n]

If the mods see fit to move this to the sugar forum as it will be for sugar surup and fermenting that would be great, if not let it stay.

[Shine0n]

Husker, what do you think you boiled it down to % wise?
Does what I've proposed seem like it's doable or is more research in my sights?.?.

[MichiganCornhusker]

Your plan looks good to me.
With all those trees you could gather up hundreds of gallons pretty quickly.

It takes a lot of heat to boil off that much liquid, I would definitely work out a wood fired solution.
I have a buddy who put a large stainless tray, maybe 4'x8', up on cement blocks and just built a fire under it.
He also had an old furnace blower on a timer that would kick on every now and then to stoke the fire.

All of his wood was free from his property so it worked well.

I don't remember the specifics of how I did my shine, I did have to add water to got the OG down to 1.07 though.

The sap I boiled all the way down to syrup was wonderful, even more so because it was mine!

[Shine0n]

Thanks, I just finished reading 3 pages of threads about maple likker... now my eyes are fuzzy and I can't see for shit. lol
ima go and look for a good sized pan to cook it in from the scrap yard. they have sooo much to choose from and I don't know why I haven't bought anything like that before, I seen an old ss counter top that had a 4" lip all the way around but I think that's too shallow but I know I'll find something there.

Mmmmm, smoked maple shine and syrup.

I'm freaking excited

[Shine0n]

Thanks mods, I should've posted here to begin with

Even my 3 year old is asking about each tree "is that a sugar maple" lol
Hr thinks it bleeds maple syrup and is so very excited about running in the woods lookin for suitable trees.

How funny is that!!!

[bitter]

If you get about 30+ buckets to start you should be able to boil and end up with a good amount of Maple gold. It varies year to year you might get 2-3g one year
and 10g another year.

Typically you need about 40g of sap to make 1 g or syrup. I have seen it was bad as 100 to one early in the season... the one year.. but normally starts off about 60 to 1

This first run produces one of the nicest and lightest delicate syrup. and it gets darker as things go till it gets bud taste when the bugs on the trees start come come out.. this is not a nice taste...

I used ot make it every year but not in some time. A little in a whiskey when cutting to drinking strength really adds some nice scuttle sweetness and maple finish.

I always boiled with wood.. takes a full cord or 2 per gallon of syrup..

B

[ben stiller]

This is VERY new to me and although I've watched videos and have a basic vision I still have no hands on experience and I'm hoping I don't get too far over my head in this but I'm going full throddle and with some help from family I should be fine.

I think that you will find making syrup to be an easier task than making a good run of liquor. The sap will hold for a few days at least in cold weather. Not sure about your area, but here in the Northeast there are opportunities to sell off excess sap to the big syrup producers. You are a lucky guy to have an in with a scrap yard. The day of the mom and pop yard in this area are gone.

[dukethebeagle120]

we make maple syrup
we used to tap around 4000 but now only about 1200
my father and his brothers are getting a little older and want to do it for the fun now
our sugar arch is 5 foot wide by 16 feet long
double smoke stacks.
smokes to high hell.
but will thump like crazy with a killer fire.
did three runs of sugar shine last year
turned out not bad.
u gotta age it like rum.
i was thinking of catching sap this spring and boiling it to about 1.080 or so
you don`t need straight syrup
you can also freeze separate it.
the water will freeze but the sugar will separate to the bottom of the bucket.
so go in the morning before it gets to warm throw out the ice and keep whats in the bottom of the bucket
it will be sweet like 7-up

[Shine0n]

I was definitely going to boil a bunch down to 1.080 or 1.090 then ferment.
I really want some syrup too... that stuff makes my mouth water and I've been sippin some straight from the quart jar I just bought, 10 bucks- hell yeah

I would've bought every one she had but it was the last and it was a one time deal so now I'm out to get my own.

The stuff I bought was from West Va and there's a number on it to call, I'll call them and see what kinds of deals they have on a few gallons or many if they have it like that. Very good stuff!

[Shine0n]

Just ordered the tree tapping equipment from amazon, 25 spiles, food grade tubing, and I'll hit up Walmart for the buckets and at 1.25 each I should get maybe 25 as well.

So for less than 50 bucks I should have all I need to get started, I'm still looking for a good wood fired set up for a decent price but man those things are crazy expensive!

I'll go to the local scrap yard and look for some ways to lessen the cost but I still have my 40 gallon pot plus a few in the 20 range but it's not the way I want to go if I can help it.

Getting excited now, it's snowing, it's getting colder by the day and I'm really wanting some good maple syrup that is home made... and likker!!!

[The Baker]

Shineon, if you have the space, and have or can get second-hand bricks, you can build your own wood-fired boiler.
In the good old days (yes, I can remember them) housewives boiled the washing in similar boilers, often made of brick by the men of the house.

Geoff

[dukethebeagle120]

get a 45 gallon drum and build a boiler and set your pot on it
put 2 or 3 buckets taps on the same tree
run the lines into a 5 gallon bucket
cheap setup thats all
as far as the stove cut a hole on top of ur drum 2-3 the size of ur pot
cut out a door on the side and a hole at the bottom for draft
and dont worry about draft ,run it wide open
boil the hell out of it and keep milk near to knock down the froth

[dukethebeagle120]

p.s if it was closer i could ship some down from canada
it 5 bucks a can here

[Shine0n]

Thanks fellas, I do have about 3 cubes of old bricks and hell... I was a mason for 15 years so bricking one up wouldn't be a major problem

My only deal would be I'd have to build it outside because of all my wife's shit in the barn, she'd lay a golden egg if I smoked up the barn with all her crap in there. lol Even though she'd like the final product.

When I find time to visit the scrap yard I'd could have a much better understanding of how big I'd need to build, plus I'd need to get some (alot) of fire bricks and fire clay to make sure the heat and flame doesn't destroy the masonry.

I've already thought of teeing lines into each other, I seen that on some videos, Very smart I'd say! I have as of now 8 massive trees (maple) which I'll put 3 taps in each as they are all over 48" across, I mean it would take 3 grown men holding hands to go around them. They are so big I thought they were oaks, I didn't know maples got that big. lol

A better plan is coming together now, thanks again guys.

Shine0n

[dukethebeagle120]

3 buckets ????
we tap 3000-4000 and a tree that big would get 5-6 buckets
especially if it runs good
don't tap the north side as it gets no sun and runs less
and if you tap and the hole don't run in a couple days pull it and re drill

[Shine0n]

I'm trying not to get too far over my head, lol

3 Buckets per tree and we'll see how it runs, if it's over filling all 3 I'll add some more but I've never done it and I'm already feeling like 3 per might be much for a handful of people in which I'll be doing 90%.

I think they think I'll teach them something that I don't even know shit about yet, I got the barn halfway cleaned and I'm getting the bricks over there sometime this week, I'll also go to the scrap Friday and look and see what they have to offer.

I still have to think about the boiler, do you have to have different tears in the setup or could it be done in a big ole pot?

[Saltbush Bill]

Isnt there a Maple Syrup forum somewhere out there on the net, that would be the easiest place to find the answers and to learn the craft. I sure wish we had Maple trees here.

[dukethebeagle120]

I'm trying not to get too far over my head, lol

3 Buckets per tree and we'll see how it runs, if it's over filling all 3 I'll add some more but I've never done it and I'm already feeling like 3 per might be much for a handful of people in which I'll be doing 90%.

I think they think I'll teach them something that I don't even know shit about yet, I got the barn halfway cleaned and I'm getting the bricks over there sometime this week, I'll also go to the scrap Friday and look and see what they have to offer.

I still have to think about the boiler, do you have to have different tears in the setup or could it be done in a big ole pot?

you can do it in a big pot BUT
if ur looking for good color it won't happen
as you add sap as the water goes down your color will suffer.
with a 40 gallon pot i would boil down till about 5-6 gallons or till it starts to boil thick.
it should be making bubbles like making gravy but not spider webs on your dipper
then transfer to a smaller pot and finish slowly till u have spider webs on your dipper
its for sure with separators it is more efficient

[Shine0n]

Thanks for the replies duke, I'll head down to the scrap later to see what they have for large trays. Sometimes they'll have old restaurant sinks and stuff all ss and I can weld ss so I'll be in luck with the right size or a few. lol

[CatCrap]

Any update on this, ShineOn? You should be swimming in Maple Syrup, or at least sap, by now. Sounds like the kind of project that would be hella fun if your lifestyle allows, but a bit overwhelming if you have a full time job. I work 50 hours a week and am lucky to find enough time for stillin. Much less adding on tapping trees, hauling buckets, building a furnace and pots and bottling etc etc. Good on ya! Love the ambition!

Interested to hear how it all turned out.

[raketemensch]

Funny, I hadn't noticed this thread at all, but in the fall before the leaves dropped I took the boys out for a walk around the property and marked a bunch of maples. I don't trust myself to identify them without the leaves yet....

We made syrup a bunch of times when I was a kid and we heated the house with a woodstove, so it was just more efficient use of the heat and humidity's always good in the Winter.

Our property was logged pretty heavily when they built the house, they actually built the house from lumber they logged off of it back in 78. So unfortunately the majority of the maples and cedars are gone and we have a lot of scrubbier stuff, but I managed to find and mark 5 good trees. It should be enough to keep these guys entertained.

Too funny that we're all getting into this at once.

@CatCrap you can't really start collecting sap until it starts to warm up, near the end of Winter:

• Sap is drawn from trees in early spring when the night temperatures are freezing and the days are warm and sunny.
  As a maple tree increases in diameter, a maximum of four taps can be put into the tree.
  Farmers stop drawing sap from a tree when it begins to bud.
  When leaves appear on a tree, the tree’s sap becomes bitter.
  The production of maple syrup is the oldest agricultural enterprise in the United States.
  Maple syrup is rich in calcium, which helps build strong bones and teeth.
  Maple syrup contains approximately 1/3 less carbohydrates than granulated sugar.
  Maple syrup is 100% fat free.
  Maple syrup was the standard household sweetener in the United States until around 1875.
  Once opened, maple syrup containers should be refrigerated.

[Shine0n]

Yeah I got the gear and trees are marked but it's not a steady freeze at night and warn in the days yet. It's getting close though and I'm looking forward to it.

I'm not going crazy with it this year as I hope to find quite a few more trees for next year but I'm planning to build a small 12x12 sugar shack for 2019 and have the appropriate evaporator set up.

My work does consume alot of my time but if ya want shit done ya just gotta do it and it's not like I haven't spent 10 hours at work driving 3 hours both ways and gotten a spirit run done in a single day.
The maple season around here shouldn't last too long and I have the desire to make the best of it and tough it out for the short season plus I don't have that many trees this year, 4 very large!!!

I'm just going to use the propane burner and big ole pot for now but I've been to the scrap yard and I've found some really good options. I know the owner and he's set them aside until or if I purchase them so their safe.

If it costs me too much in propane I'll just use wood, I have plenty of shit that can't be burned inside but will be good for an outside fire and I have plenty of brick and block to make it efficient enough for this year.

Looking forward to it!
If nothing else I'm getting some syrup for the griddle cakes