From Barrel To Bottle — Filtering and Bottling Series
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Handcrafted in USA Handcrafted in USA To many consumers’ surprise, not all maple syrups taste the same. Not even close!
Many attributes should be considered when evaluating maple syrup: Appearance, Flavor, Taste, Aftertaste and Mouthfeel1. Smell also contributes to the way we perceive a flavor.
Professional tasting experts (AKA Sensory Evaluators) use a “Flavor Wheel” or a “Flavor Map,” (See downloads at the bottom of this page) to help describe the different tastes they might identify in a maple syrup sample. Some off flavors are actually quite pleasant, such as vanilla, caramel, or candy. Other off flavors can be more off-putting, such as chemical, fermented, or oil.
| OFF FLAVOR | DESCRIPTION / SOLUTION |
| Buddy Flavor3 | When the buds appear on the maple trees, it’s our signal to stop collecting sap from the trees. Failing to do so will result in syrup that has what is called a “Buddy” flavor. This has sometimes been described as having a Tootsie Roll flavor. |
| Earthy or Woody | This flavor can manifest if new tap holes are too close to old tap holes. Stay at least 10 inches above or below old tap holes and at least 2 inches to the left and right. Also, never tap unhealthy/punky sections of a tree. |
| Fermented | If syrup is not boiled long enough (less than 66º Brix), it may start to ferment in the container. It will taste “spiked”. It tastes like alcohol but not in a good way. |
| Chemical | If equipment is not thoroughly rinsed, the taste of soaps and detergent may appear in your syrup. Never use soap to clean cone filters or flat filters. Residues from soaps will remain in the fibers and cause off flavors the next time you use the filter. |
| Defoamer | While boiling, foam will form on top of the sap. The foam can be controlled by periodically putting ONE drop — or even a fraction of a drop — in the pan. However, if too much defoamer is used, an off flavor and oily texture may arise. Use a very neutral-flavored oil — such as canola oil — as your defoamer. Using things like butter and bacon grease to control the foam are strongly discouraged. |
| Burned Flavor | This can happen when there is too much sugar sand build-up on the floor of your pan. Keep your equipment clean. This flavor can also arise if your pan was previously scorched and there is still some charred sugar stuck to the pan. |
| Plastic | If maple syrup is packaged in food grade plastic containers for a long period of time, it may take on a plastic tone in the flavor. Ideally, maple syrup should not be stored in plastic for more than 3 months. (See our article “Plastic Vs Glass”) |
For more information about unpleasant off flavors and their causes, please check out the resources below! The Vermont Maple Association also sells reference bottle sets to help you identify off flavors and their causes.
7 Comments
Dan Allen
What about wood ash smell, how do you get rid of it?
Angela
Hi Dan
If your syrup is subjected to a strong or distinctive smell — whether it be smoke or ash or whatever — that scent can certainly impart an off flavor in your syrup. Perhaps the best place to start would be to take a look at your ventilation. Otherwise, if you are cooking over an open fire, that could inherently have a more smoky flavor compared to syrup that was produced on a well-sealed evaporator.
Kyle
The first batch of sap I got this year tastes and smells like dirt. Why is that ?
Angela
To be clear, are we talking about raw sap? Or finished syrup?
If it is raw sap, that is odd. Are you noticing this smell directly out of the tree? Or after it has sat in your collection bins for a certain amount of time?
If you are talking about finished syrup, check out the flavor wheel: https://www.smokylakemaple.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/maple-flavor-wheel.pdf
Sarah
Our syrup tasted beautiful but after a few days crystallized and is now very bitter. Any ideas why this happened? How can we prevent it happening again?
Angela
Hi Sarah
Well I can tell you for sure that the crystallization is a density issue. I highly recommend a Murphy Cup for best results when reading a hydrometer!
I can’t be sure about the change in taste though. Sometimes it has to do with the type of container being used. Tin or plastic can impart flavors over time.
Cheers
Angela
Adrian Fortin
why does maple syrup sometimes have a tin taste to it?