Adirondack Maple Syrup .com is the premier online guide to maple syrup and maple products in the Adirondacks and Upstate New York.

A taste of the Adirondacks!

THE ADIRONDACK SUGAR MAPLE
Sugar maple is the state tree of New York and commonly found throughout the Adirondacks. In addition to its use for syrup production, sugar maple is a valuable tree for lumber and is used extensively in fine furniture. It provides spectacular fall color and has been widely planted as a shade and ornamental tree.

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TAPPING THE TREE
To obtain the earliest runs of sap, tapping should be completed by the middle of February . Minimal trunk diameter for trees suitable for tapping is 10 inches at 4 feet above the ground. To tap a tree, select a spot on the trunk of the tree 2 to 4 feet above the ground in an area that appears to contain sound wood. At this point, drill a hole approximately 1 to 1.5 inches deep into the wood. Then insert a collection spout and tap lightly into the tree, and attach a bucket or plastic bag or a tubing line to the spout.

  

  



DIFFERENT GRADES OF USDA MAPLE SYRUP
The 100% pure maple syrup grades are based on three different factors - the color, flavor and density. The different grades of syrup do not indicate a difference in the quality or the purity of the maple syrup. The darker the color of the syrup, the stronger and richer the maple flavor. The lighter syrups are from the earlier sap runs, have a milder maple flavor and go well with deserts or cereals. A darker amber has a richer maple flavor and is perfect for waffles or pancakes. All maple grades are of the same density. Pure USDA maple syrup is organic, vegan friendly, and is produced with modern, sustainable techniques and forest management practices.

Different grades of Adirondack maple syrup

COLLECTING THE SAP
Sap flow in maple trees will not occur every day throughout the tapping season, only when a rapid warming trend in early to midmorning follows a cool (below freezing) night. Thus, the amount of sap produced varies from day to day. Normally, a single tap-hole produces from a quart to a gallon of sap per flow period (from a few hours to a day or more), with a seasonal accumulation of 10 to 12 gallons per tap-hole likely.

Producing maple syrup is essentially a matter of concentrating the sugar solution to a predetermined level through evaporation. Heat is used to concentrate the sap and to develop the characteristic maple color and flavor that make maple syrup so highly desirable.
To begin evaporation, fill the evaporating container (preferably a large shallow pan) with sap. Begin heating the sap to the boiling point, taking care not to burn or scorch the sap. (A Teflon-coated pan is ideal.) As evaporation lowers the level of sap in the pan, add more sap. Continue this process until most of the sap in the pan is highly concentrated and the boiling point of the sap begins to rise above the boiling point of water.
Throughout this process, it may be necessary occasionally to skim the surface of the boiling liquid to remove surface foam and other materials. Finished syrup boils at 7 degrees above the boiling point of water. As the temperature of the boiling sap approaches this point, boiling should be carefully controlled to prevent burning and overheating.
Once the desired boiling point has been reached, the syrup is ready for filtering and packaging.

Different types of taps for maple syrup production

During warm periods when temperatures rise above freezing, pressure develops in the tree. This pressure causes the sap to flow out of the tree through a wound or tap hole. During cooler periods when temperatures fall below freezing, suction develops, drawing water into the tree. This replenishes the sap in the tree, allowing it to flow again during the next warm period. Sap flows through a portion of the outer tree trunk called sapwood. Sapwood consists of actively growing cells that conduct water and nutrients (sap) from the roots to the branches of the tree. During the day, activity in the cells of sapwood produces carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is released to the intercellular spaces in the sapwood. In addition, carbon dioxide that was dissolved in the cool sap is released into the spaces between the cells. Both of these sources of carbon dioxide cause pressure to build up in the cells. A third source of pressure is called osmotic pressure, which is caused by the presence of sugar and other substances dissolved in the sap.

When the tree is wounded, as when it is tapped by a maple producer, the pressure forces the sap out of the tree. At night or during other times when temperatures go below freezing, the carbon dioxide cools and therefore contracts. Some of the carbon dioxide also becomes dissolved in the cooled sap. Finally, some of the sap freezes. All three of these factors create suction in the tree. This causes water from the soil to be drawn up into the roots and travel up through the sapwood. When temperatures rise above freezing the next day, sap flow begins again.


Pure Adirondack Maple Syrup Makes a Wonderful Gift!

Maple syrup may be used as is, of course, or it may be converted into other highly desirable products. Maple sugar, maple candy and maple fudge are just a few of the many other maple products. Basically, these are made by concentrating finished syrup to a greater density and stirring the highly concentrated syrup.

Maple syrup and sugar are among the oldest agricultural commodities produced in the United States. Native Americans are generally credited with discovering how to convert maple sap into maple syrup. The importance of maple products for local trade was established well before the arrival of the first European settlers in North America.
Maple syrup production is confined to the northeastern portion of the United States, with the largest amounts produced in Vermont and New York. Until rather recently, maple syrup and sugar have been strictly a "sideline" farm crop; however, the production of maple syrup and other maple products is often a full-time operation.
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See a wide selection of Maple Candies and Gifts for all seasons!

Maple Sugar Candy

New York State is one of the leading Maple syrup producers

New York is one of America's leading maple producing states. Upwards of 350,000 gallons of maple syrup is produced in New York each year. The Adirondacks located in Upstate New York is famous for producing some of the finest, full-bodied maple syrup in the country. A delicious, sweet, golden syrup distilled from the clear sap of the Adirondack sugar maples that flourish throughout the 6 million acre Adirondack Park.





See why people love our Pure Adirondack Maple Syrup!

"The golden color and delicate sweetness of your Light Amber syrup is like silk...absolutely delicious"!

"I've never tasted anything so wonderful"!

"The Dark Amber maple syrup is so rich and so maplely tasting"!

"This maple syrup makes me feel like I'm in the mountains of the Adirondacks"!

Nutritional Facts on Pure Adirondack Maple Syrup

History of the Adirondack Great Camps
A brief history of the Adirondacks from the first sighting by a European in 1535, through the eras of trapping, iron mining, and lumbering, to the development of railroad and steamboat lines that led to the influx of tourists and building of the "Great Camps".
The sixty years from 1870 to 1930 were the heyday of these camps, the "Guilded Age" of the Adirondacks. Kaiser gives a fascinating account both of the personalities who engineered and financed these fabulous structures and of the bulidings themselves.
Click here to visit our photo gallery of vintage Adirondack Great Camps

   

Airondack Hikers Photo courtesy of Jim Grant

The High Peaks Region is famous for its magnificant 46 peaks including Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in New york State, with an elevation of 5344' .The 46 peaks include the following mountains (listed in order of height):
Mt. Marcy, Algonquin Peak, Mt. Haystack, Mt. Skylight, Whiteface Mtn,Dix Mtn. , Gray Peak, Iroquois Peak , Basin Mtn., Gothics, Mt. Colden, Giant Mtn., Nippletop, Santanoni Peak, Mt. Redfield, Wright Peak, Saddleback Mtn., Panther Peak, Tabletop Mtn., Rocky Peak Ridge, Macomb Mtn., Armstrong Mtn. ,Hough Peak, Seward Mtn., Mt. Marshall, Allen Mtn., Big Slide Mtn., Esther Mtn. , Upper Wolfjaw, Lower Wolfjaw , Street Mtn., Phelps Mtn., Mt. Donaldson, Seymour Mtn., Sawteeth, Cascade Mtn., South Dix, Porter Mtn., Mt. Colvin, Mt. Emmons, Dial Mtn., East Dix, Blake, Cliff Mtn., Nye Mtn., and Couchsachraga Peak. for more information on the 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks please visit our sister site - 46 High Peaks .com

We invite you to visit our Adirondack Gallery showcasing unique Adirondack Furniture ~ Antler Chandeliers & Lamps ~ Hand Painted Canoe Paddles ~ Adirondack Packbaskets ~ Adirondack Prints ~ Authentic Birch Bark Framing ~ and beautiful hand crafted gifts. Click here! We also offer interior design services for Adirondack style camps & homes.
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