Maple syrup wash

Sugar, and all about sugar washes. Where the primary ingredient is sugar, and other things are just used as nutrients.

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Bigvalveturbo
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Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

I'm calling this a sugar wash. But mods, please move if appropriate

So a friend gave me 1 gallon of b grademaple syrup that had molded. I added 3 gallons of well water and boiled it to kill any nasties, skimmed off the chucks, then strained it into the fermenter with 1 more gallon cool water. Let it cool to 100 degrees and Pitched a starter of 1tbs daddy and 2 tbsp fermax . It started bubbling in the first 10 mins!
This morning it is working beautifully.

Sg was 1.057
Ph was 7.5 should I add some lemon juice?

I am really hoping this works well as sugaring season is coming and I hope to make a large batch from just sap.
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NJen
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by NJen »

Awesome, one of my favorites! I've been making maple syrup for almost a decade now, and have fermented it a couple of times, although I haven't distilled it before. It's a lot like a mead just fermented out.. I usually add an orange into mine when fermenting, so I'm thinking a little bit of lemon juice can't hurt it any for pH adjustment. As far as making a batch from sap, good luck with that. I would consider it pretty much pointless. Maple sap contains about 2% sugar on average, so you'd basically end up having to add a boatload of sugar to it to have any amount of alcohol.

Either way, maple is awesome, and ferments awesome. Be interested in seeing how it distills out.
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

NJen wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:24 am As far as making a batch from sap, good luck with that. I would consider it pretty much pointless. Maple sap contains about 2% sugar on average, so you'd basically end up having to add a boatload of sugar to it to have any amount of alcohol.
I'm planning on (he owes me one)
Pulling from from the reverse osmosis machine ,not the tree so sugar content should be about 20%, I'm not sure where that is in SG but I'll find out I guess.
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

Found this:

http://www.vinolab.hr/calculator/gravit ... sions-en19

Sap comes out RO at about 18 brix so that's 1.074 ish sg...sounds about perfect
cayars
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by cayars »

NJen wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:24 am As far as making a batch from sap, good luck with that. I would consider it pretty much pointless. Maple sap contains about 2% sugar on average, so you'd basically end up having to add a boatload of sugar to it to have any amount of alcohol.
How do you think the sap would work from the standpoint of just adding taste/flavor? Would the sap still taste like maple? In other words could you add the sap to a sugar wash for pleasing flavors or do you think it would be a bad idea?
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NJen
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by NJen »

cayars wrote: Sun Feb 09, 2020 7:28 am How do you think the sap would work from the standpoint of just adding taste/flavor? Would the sap still taste like maple? In other words could you add the sap to a sugar wash for pleasing flavors or do you think it would be a bad idea?
I think you'd be better off adding a small amount of already processed syrup personally. Maple sap straight from the tree is slightly sweet but really does not have the sweet woody maple characteristics you get from syrup, it really just tastes like lightly sweetened water. I don't think it would hurt it any, I've had maple sap in buckets on trees start fermenting before and they smelled alright, but I don't think I'd go through the trouble of trying to collect it just to add to a sugar wash.

If I was gonna spend time tapping trees and getting stuff set up to collect the sap, I figure I might as well make the syrup, which I think would end up in a better product anyway.

I've never done anything with RO so I can't speak to that, but if it comes out at roughly 18 brix that's pretty decent, although that depends on a lot on your location and the trees you're using too! Anyway, I'm curious to know how this goes, so keep us informed! :P
ChemMan
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by ChemMan »

Some of my experience.

Sap from an RO will be filtered and pretty pure. So good starting base, but "pure". Maple Flavor comes mostly from boiling and "caramelization" that occurs buying the time spent in the evaporator boiling. Late season verse early season changes a lot of the bacteria from the tree/spout, bucket, vacuum lines, etc. This is why early maple season is light in color and generally less "maple" flavored" ... It take roughly 40 gals of sap from the tree to make 1 gal of syrup. So the "time" spent in the evaporator is hours, not mins....before it leave the pan a final product. But when you think about "aging" and drawing out of the grain of OAK wood, the capillary action inside a live maple tree to lift sugar from the tree roots and push it up to the "buds" at the top of the tree.....IT's very interesting compared to temperature/pressure changes to move whiskey in and out of a barrel.

How the Sugar can go up 60-80 feet to the buds.... in the tree. The cycle for maple production is brought on by freezing nights, and warm days.. Umm..


I have ran a few batches that I have called 100% maple. taking material out of the evaporator BEFORE it turns to 67% sugar to be maple syrup. This always ferments well. Yeast only needed. I can say my maple bourbon was aged only with hard maple wood toasted and charred (both ways) and is VERY Unique tasting compared to other things I have made. I was still learning, so it still needs "Time" on wood, but when you open the bottles, it's very close to the smell of drilling the hole in the tree.. I think coming more from aging on wood, than the "Distillate"

IF you can find a friend that makes maple, the end of the season is interesting, as the evaporators of many makers hold 20-50 gals of liquid in the pans, and this can only be "pushed" forward with water so far....so at the end everyone has like 30% brix material that they let sit or take out of the pans. One trick for cleaning maple pans (removing the scale that develops on the pan), is to let it sit for a long time (30+ days) in the pan, and it starts to ??mold and become "active"....this seems to help loosen the crust on the pans. Interesting is to take this material out, Boil it to kill stuff and then ferment it. Like the start of this thread.

I'm thinking this year to make a proven batch of corn/rye whiskey with SAP from the RO as the water...and see what happens...
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

Thanks for the info!
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

Ben fermenting in 5 gallon batches, 4 gallons water to 1 gallon syrup , fourth and final one is fermenting right now. This should bring strips of my 40%abv to about 5.5 gallons.

Interestingly it gives off a very strong sulfur smell when fermenting. Any idea what this means?

Just because I was curious(I'm still learning) I pitched no yeast on this last batch I just left there last 1/2 inch in the carboy and added water,syrup, and fermax. Took off slower and then continued a bit slower than fresh yeast did.but still bubbling a away nicely.

I didn't check the ph this last time..wish I had I wonder if leaving old yeast in made a difference?
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still_stirrin
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by still_stirrin »

Bigvalveturbo wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:51 am...Interestingly it gives off a very strong sulfur smell when fermenting. Any idea what this means?...added water,syrup, and fermax....
Fermax contains magnesium sulfate (epsom salts). The magnesium is a nutrient for yeast vitality and the sulfur is a byproduct of metabolism. The “rotten egg” smell (hydrogen sulfide) is the result of too much sulfur in the fermenter.

When distilling, the copper in the system should reduce the sulfurs. You do have copper equipment, right?
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Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

Yes all copper onion head, even my parrot/product line to container is copper
NJen
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by NJen »

Maple syrup on its own has enough more than enough nutrients to ferment just fine, no need for additional nutrient, just a note for next time. As SS said, fermax contains sulfates which is causing your off smell.
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

End result excellent...
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by mannye »

In my experience making mead the maple character completely disappears during the ferment, but I have read that a 50/50 maple/sorghum mix makes a very tasty mead-like brew. That might be an interesting experiment.
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by mannye »

Bigvalveturbo wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2020 4:06 pm End result excellent...
Great to hear! Did the maple flavor transfer over? Have you run it already?
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

I've made lots and lots of it now it's best aged about six months in a barrel
dukethebeagle120
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by dukethebeagle120 »

NJen wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:12 am Maple syrup on its own has enough more than enough nutrients to ferment just fine, no need for additional nutrient, just a note for next time. As SS said, fermax contains sulfates which is causing your off smell.
In my experience it needs more nutrients.
We got a sugarbush and i do quite a bit.
I have always had better luck with adding nuts
Can be slow to finish i find
its better to think like a fool but keep your mouth shut,then to open ur mouth and have it confirmed
Tommc56
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Tommc56 »

Bigvalveturbo wrote: Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:06 am I've made lots and lots of it now it's best aged about six months in a barrel
I'm setting taps tomorrow and would really appreciate some guidance on this , "Still it" got me hooked on the craft and I'm waiting on still components now . In the past I have been overwhelmed with sap and fermenting it seems to be the obvious solution . This will be my first attempt at distilling if the fermentation process goes well , I have a fair amount of beer brewing experience . Can you offer any advice since it seems that you have had some success with this ?
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Stilman
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Stilman »

I get sap between 12 and 18 brix from a friend with an RO every year. I add campden tabs and add yeast after a couple of days. It ferments very quickly and I have it in a pot still within a week. I have it on charred oak for a year so that every new season I have my first real drink. I give half of the product to my sap producer and its a very nice partnership! From 25 gallons I get 8-10 750ml bottles. I have added a bit of maple syrup to the final product which smooths it out even better and makes those with a sweet tooth smile. :D
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by greggn »

Stilman wrote: Mon Mar 13, 2023 11:31 am
I add campden tabs and add yeast after a couple of days. It ferments very quickly and I have it in a pot still within a week.


Why add the campden if you're turning it around that quickly ? Is wild yeast a concern ?
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bradster68 »

My son's latest maple syrup experiment.
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Bee
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bee »

That's an expensive way to make a sugarhead!

Moldy maple syrup can be restored to freshness simply by boiling it & skimming it.
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

Bee wrote: Thu Sep 14, 2023 11:10 am That's an expensive way to make a sugarhead!

Moldy maple syrup can be restored to freshness simply by boiling it & skimming it.
it is! however it makes a delish product when aged on a bit of oak!
Bigvalveturbo
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Re: Maple syrup wash

Post by Bigvalveturbo »

for those interested here is a quick update, I have tried this a bunch of different ways. I have a few sugarbushes around me and two will give me the leftovers in the pan in the spring, you have to be quick, or it goes ropey very fast. I collect and ferment as quickly as I can. I dilute it to 18 brix and add oyster shells and dady. strip into a large stainless barrel and then I have can do a spirit run at my leisure. I collect in jars from heads to 120p-100p(from 120-100 i collet in a jug) and taste jars on both sides to make my cuts I have found aged at 120p in a 5-gallon barrel for 2 (haven't had the Patience to wait longer) years to be excellent while technically a rum it definitely feels like a whiskey.
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