Maple Syrup: From Tree to Treat

Take a tour through the steps of making maple syrup

(1) Nature's sugar factory: The Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum)

(2) Each year spiles are tapped into new holes in the maple trees

(3) The sap flows in a tubing and piping system under vacuum

(4) The sap flows into a small collecting tank in a pumphouse

(5) From the tank it's then transferred to a large storage tank at the sugar camp

(6) The sap is concentrated from 2% to 10% sugar content in a reverse osmosis machine

(7) A smaller tank stores the enriched sap before the next step

(8) Next a large oil-fired evaporator boils most of the water from the sap

(9) The syrup is checked for correct density, between 66.5% and 68% Brix, with a refractometer

(10) The finished syrup is held at 85 degrees celsius in a canning unit and bottled

(11) The finished product!

(12) No treat tastes as good as fresh maple taffy on snow!

Learn more about how we tap maple trees in the modern day with this short video.