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Tip of the month, May 2000

making birch syrup

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This month is the time to be collecting birch sap from the local birch trees to make birch syrup.Its a fair amount of work, but the reward is great. Its a bit of a time and energy commitment, so plan ahead to make sure you'll be able to finish... Then enjoy !

The first step is selecting some trees, in interior alaska, birch trees are fairly common, what you are looking for are good , strong , healthy trees growing in well drained areas. These trees pull a fair amount of water up thru them as they are preparing to leaf out, which in Fairbanks happens about the end of the second week of May. The trick is get the taps going before the trees green up, because once this happens the sap quite running.

 

Once you have chosen your trees, the tools you will need are a drill, a 1/2" drill bit, a hammer ( to get your taps into the trees ) , tree taps, some garden hose and some buckets to catch the sap.

 

The first step is drill the holes, I usually pick locations that are easy to get to. Drill the holes with a slight angle downward, just to let good old gravity help out some. If the tree is currently pulling sap up thru it, the drill bit should come out wet, and the drilling should be like going thru a dense wood because of the moisture. This is a good sign !

 

Drilling holes in trees for taps...

 

 

 

 

 

 

After you get the holes in the trees the next step is putting the taps in, the taps I use came with a small hang loop, I don't use the hang loop, but I leave it on as it makes it easier to get the tap out when you are done. Don't pound the taps in too deep, nothing is gained and they are just harder to get out.

 

 

Using a hammer to put the tap into the tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next step is push on some cut up garden hose or anything similar, it is just there to make it easier to collect the sap. I use 5 gallon buckets to collect sap, and I will run two trees to one bucket just to make collection easier.

 

 

 

Hoses from two trees going into one bucket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tap 5 trees each year and this has been enough sap to meet all my syrup and time needs. When the trees are producing, each tree will provide up to one gallon of sap per day, and if it gets really warm the trees really crank. To get one gallon or syrup ready to put on your waffles and pancakes , it will take up to 100 gallons of sap. This ratio can change slightly, based on how light or dark and how thick you want your finished product.

 

 

 

 

4 trees taped into 2 buckets

 

 

 

 

 

I also use one gallon jugs if it is not handy to use a bucket, they have to be watched a lot more and changed more often. I hang it from a nail directly under the tap.

 

 

The next step is to start boiling it down. I use a big propane cooker just to try and speed it up, but in a perfect world, a slow, large boiler is much better. Do this outside as there is a bit of fragrance as it boils down. Do about 10 gallons at a time, in a large pot, try not to darken it to much, but get it down to about one gallon or less, then put it aside and start fresh with another 10 gallons. Do this until you have gone thru all your collected sap. You have to keep a good eye on the boiling, the pot and sap can get very hot, very fast and boil away , if this happens you will burn a hole thru your pot and create a bit of fire hazard, not good !

Boiling the last round is when you really pay attention, start with a a few gallons , as it starts to go down continue adding your boiled down mixture as the level drops, several hours later, if all goes well, you will have a hot somewhat clear mixture if birch syrup, the last thing to do is pour it thru some cheese cloth to do the final filter. Pour into a clean bottle, cap it and enjoy at your next breakfast function ...

 

 

 

boiling sap, a slow process....

 

 

 

 

 

There are many ways of producing syrup, the method listed here has worked for me, and its simple. Give it try, if it works for you great, if not, try another method, talk to other folks in your area and see what they do, just give it a try and enjoy !

 

Here is web site, from the Michigan State University Extention on making maple syrup that looks pretty good, goes a little deeper than the info above, might be helpful.

Also try the Alaska Cooperative Extension, they have loads of great info on many subjects...