Handcrafted in USA Handcrafted in USA Wisconsin is the fourth-largest maple syrup–producing state in the country, but less than 1% of the state’s maple trees are ever tapped. That leaves a lot of room for the industry to grow, and a lot of backyard trees that could be making syrup.
With the 2027 season approaching, WBAY (Channel 2, Green Bay) stopped by our Hilbert headquarters to see what it takes to get ready. Our lead maple specialist, Jimmy Brochtrup, makes his own syrup at home. He walked their crew through the basics, from picking the right tree to the first taste of finished syrup.
Size matters. Jimmy recommends tapping maples that are about 9 to 10 inches in diameter or larger. A tree that size is mature enough to give a worthwhile amount of sap without being stressed. A healthy maple typically yields 10 to 20 gallons of sap per season.
If you have a few mature maples on your property, you already have the hardest part covered. The rest is equipment and a little know-how.
Making syrup means boiling the water out of sap until the sugar is concentrated. Generations of sugarmakers did that over open kettles, and it took a lot of time and firewood.
Modern evaporators change that. During the visit, Jimmy pointed out the vertical flues in some of our pans. They add surface area, so heat moves into the sap faster and you finish in less time and with less fuel. Good design matters at every scale, whether you’re boiling sap from five backyard trees or running a large commercial operation.
Jimmy also talked about what keeps people coming back to it: parents and kids boiling together and passing the hobby down. Then there’s the first finished draw of the season, which Jimmy says makes you feel “kind of like a kid on Christmas morning.”
Smoky Lake is America’s largest designer and manufacturer of maple syrup production equipment. Every pan and evaporator is designed and built here in Hilbert, Wisconsin. We serve sugarmakers across the country, from backyard hobbyists to larger producers.
We’re also still a small, family-owned team of 15. We started in 2010 building equipment for hobbyists, and helping people make their first batch of their own syrup is still a big part of what we do.
How big does a maple tree need to be to tap?
About 9–10 inches in diameter or larger. Smaller trees aren’t mature enough to produce enough sap safely.
How much sap does one maple tree produce?
Usually 10 to 20 gallons per season, depending on the tree and the weather.
How many maple trees in Wisconsin are tapped?
Less than 1%. Wisconsin is the fourth-largest maple syrup–producing state, but most of its maples have never been tapped.
When does maple season start in Wisconsin?
Usually late winter into early spring, when daytime temperatures rise above freezing and nights drop below. That freeze-thaw swing is what gets sap flowing.
Does Smoky Lake make equipment for beginners?
Yes. Smoky Lake started in 2010 making hobby equipment, and our StarCat evaporator is built for backyard sugarmakers with a few trees of their own.
Where is Smoky Lake Maple Products located?
208 N 12th Street in Hilbert, Wisconsin, where we design, build, and sell maple syrup equipment.
Thanks to WBAY for visiting! Watch the original story here.
