Birch sap

[FishHunterPro]

It’s getting to that time of year now when the sap should be starting to flow good. Has anyone started tapping their trees yet. I’m thinking of just trying tapping two trees this year to try it out.

[Little red riding hood]

Seems like it doesn't really start flowing until the ground starts to thaw, not sure of your location, but here in Santa's backyard there's still 4 feet of snow around the trees! I generally start tapping when the ground in the bush is about 70% bare.

[FishHunterPro]

Originally Posted by Little red riding hood

Seems like it doesn't really start flowing until the ground starts to thaw, not sure of your location, but here in Santa's backyard there's still 4 feet of snow around the trees! I generally start tapping when the ground in the bush is about 70% bare.

Oh right on we have lots of snow up here in Fort McMurray still. I kinda thought it starts to flow when the temps hover around +10 in the day time and -4 at night.

[nube]

I want to do it this year. Where do you buy the taps from you guys? I got to get on that soon!

[Little red riding hood]

I made my own taps, just go to baron oilfield supply, and buy 1/2" stainless tubing and a tubing cutter, and cut them into 4 inch pieces.
Then drill a hole in the tree about 1/2" deeper than the bark, and nice and snug for your tap, push it in and put your bucket underneath.
I also attach a plastic hose to the tap if need be, to get the water into the bucket,
But don't save the water for several days before rendering it, unless you have room in your freezer.
If you don't render it daily, it starts to turn sour.

[nube]

Thanks! I actually found some pretty cheap online and ordered 20. Hope I don't need more.
I would like some comments on what guys do to boil it down and how they make it. I will see if I can look up last years thread and refresh my memory but I plan on hitting it hard for a bit while I am on my trapline and trapping beavers. I have some big buckets all ready to use and hope to get some made up.
I think it might be best to boil off the main part down and stick in the freezer till I have a lot to put into one real big batch but I am new to it so any advice is great!

[Salavee]

In my area the Birch don't start pushing sap until about mid April... and they do it in vast quantities. The downside is that you will recover about one percent light syrup from the total sap harvest. That means a lot of boiling down for a very small amount of syrup product that is totally unlike Maple Syrup.. Upside is that it's a lot of fun. Just be sure to plug your tap holes with hardwood dowling when finished.

[Little red riding hood]

Originally Posted by Salavee

In my area the Birch don't start pushing sap until about mid April... and they do it in vast quantities. The downside is that you will recover about one percent light syrup from the total sap harvest. That means a lot of boiling down for a very small amount of syrup product that is totally unlike Maple Syrup.. Upside is that it's a lot of fun. Just be sure to plug your tap holes with hardwood dowling when finished.

You're right, it's not like maple syrup, birch syrup is much sweeter, and when it's finished, it's a bit like thin jelly when poured,
Not as smooth and runny as maple, but very tasty, I cook it until its a light golden brown.

[KGB]

I remember when I was a kid we loved to collect and drink it. We didn’t tap the trees, we just cut off one of the lower branches that we could reach that was a thickness of a finger and put the empty wine bottle on it. The branch would point down under the weight of the bottle and the juice will collect in the bottle. We would spend a morning walking around collecting the bottles filled with birch juice and replace them with the empty ones.
We only had one problem back then - local alcoholics would steal some of our bottles to bring them to the bottle depot....

[FishHunterPro]

I dug up photos from my friends set up last year and he had his pails out the end of April and early May so I was a little early thinking it was almost time but it’s a good time to start rounding up supplies.

[Red Bullets]

An old trick was to cut the end off of a small birch branch and lay down under the tree for a nap. Put the cut branch end into your mouth and it drip in and will keep you hydrated. Using this method means you don't have to carry as much water with you.

[Little red riding hood]

Also means you've got time to take a nap!

[Red Bullets]

I found simple recipe that sounds great. Birch syrup beans.

https://www.dietitians.ca/Downloads/...rup-Beans.aspx

[josey]

Originally Posted by nube

Thanks! I actually found some pretty cheap online and ordered 20. Hope I don't need more.
I would like some comments on what guys do to boil it down and how they make it. I will see if I can look up last years thread and refresh my memory but I plan on hitting it hard for a bit while I am on my trapline and trapping beavers. I have some big buckets all ready to use and hope to get some made up.
I think it might be best to boil off the main part down and stick in the freezer till I have a lot to put into one real big batch but I am new to it so any advice is great!

Where did you order?

[nube]

Amazon. Got Tubing and everything together. Ebay has a bunch as well. Probably easy to make your own as well but figured I may as well spend the few bucks it is and just do it! Amazon I think was free shipping too

[josey]

Originally Posted by nube

Amazon. Got Tubing and everything together. Ebay has a bunch as well. Probably easy to make your own as well but figured I may as well spend the few bucks it is and just do it! Amazon I think was free shipping too

Thanks. Never figured Amazon but I guess they have everyting.

[muzzy]

Ratio is 100:1 so you need lots of sap per bottle ( maple syrup) 40:1 It burns really easy so watch that

[Lorne D]

That sap is supposed to be good medicine.

[Big Red 250]

I just read a Manitoba news story last week about a home based business in Rocky Lake Mb about them tapping the birch tree's. They have customer's as far away as New York city. There was also pictures included in story.