From Maple Tree to Maple Syrup
By: Jordan VanDis
Introduction
Do you ever wonder how you could make some sugary Maple Syrup? I do. If you keep reading, you will find out. Mmmmmm!!! Yummy!!!
Farm
First, they drill a hole in a Maple Tree. Then, they insert a spout connected to a tank into a Maple Tree. They need to drill 3 or 4 holes if you have a big tree. Sap is 97% water and only 2.5% sugar.
Factory
First, they boil it down. When the sap turns a very light brown, they stop boiling the sap. When they stop boiling the sap, they take it to a sugar house. At the sugar house, the sap is automatically pumped to a stainless steel tank. There, they boil the sap until 66% of the sap has evaporated. (turned to water vapor, or steam.) The sap should be an amber brown color when they are done. They can tell that it's ready by looking at it. They use a hypotherm to test the sugar level, run it through a pressure filter, then store it in steam cleaned barrels until it gets picked up. Now it's maple syrup.
Store
They pay trucks to tae it to the store, and there it waits until someone buys it. That someone could be you. Sometimes you have to refrigerate it to keep it from spoiling. If it spoils then you have to throw it away, and who would want to throw away all of that hard work?
Fun Facts
- It takes 37 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.
- If the sap evaporates too slowly or too quickly, that'll adverse (change) the flavor, color, and texture.
- There is no set cooking time.
- Maple syrup is a good source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
- The temperature has to be in the 40's during the day and the 20's during the night to drill a hole in the maple tree.
- Maple syrup is basically just a bunch of sugar