The Maple Tree
What type of Maple Trees can be tapped for sap ?
Sugar Maple is best.
Black Maple / Red Maple / Silver Maple can also be used.
What is the age range of a Maple tree that can be safely tapped without damaging the tree ?
40 to 100 years
Who were the first people to tap Maple trees ?
First Nations
What time of year does sap flow ?
March to early April
What are some products that are made from maple sap ?
Maple Syrup / Maple Cream / Maple Candy / Filtered sap as an energy drink (full of oxidants)
What is the purpose of a Maple tree storing sap over the winter ?
Providing energy for spring growth of the tree
On average, what percentage of sap is sugar ?
2 - 3 % sugar
What was the hot maple syrup poured into for storing ?
Cone made from tree bark
What is the most common way to transfer sap to syrup ?
Boiling sap until the water evaporates off
True or False :
Maple Sap boils at a temperature that is lower than water boils at.
False. It boils at a higher temperature
What is the term used for the collection of maple trees used for the production of maple syrup ?
Sugarbushing
How much sap does it take to make one litre of finished maple syrup ?
40 Litres of sap results in 1 litre of Maple Syrup
How long does it take to boil maple sap down to maple syrup when cooking over a fire using a pot ?
24 hours (for 60 litres of sap)
What percentage of Maple Syrup is produced in Canada ?
roughly 80 % with the majority coming from Quebec
What advancement in sap collection allows large producers to tap thousands of trees without a huge labour force?
Plastic tubing system that runs to storage tanks
What change causes the sap to flow within the tree ?
A rise is temperature causes sap to move from tree roots to the stump
What is a low cost, labour intensive way to collect sap ?
Tap with a bucket
What is another name for hot maple syrup ?
Liquid Gold
Other than Canada, where else is Maple syrup produced ?
North Eastern United States with Vermont as the largest producer.
What device is considered the heart of the operation as it harnesses wasted steam to heat raw sap ?
Evaporator
What are the different grades of Maple Syrup ?
Golden / Amber / Dark / Very Dark
(colours depend on time of season)
What material is preferred for sap storage tanks ?
Stainless Steel
Before metal pots, what method was used to boil maple sap ?
Hot rocks placed in sap in a hollowed out log
What % sugar does syrup have to contain to be legally sold as maple syrup ?
66 %
4 hours