An inside look at maple syrup grading
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - In the land of maple syrup, which bottle makes the grade? Browsing at the grocery store or sitting down for brunch, you’re most likely to find amber syrup, but some Vermonters crave a different flavor.
“I love the golden amber. It’s my favorite,” said Wendy Shedd of South Burlington.
Others, like Edward Lincoln of Burlington, prefer a bolder taste.
“I like the dark, the richness of flavor. I definitely want more impact than a light syrup,” Lincoln said.
“I like the dark. I like the dark on pancakes and waffles,” said Lori Raymonde of Burlington.
Golden has the most subtle flavor, amber is richer and dark is incredibly robust and best suited for cooking.
Sugar-makers are at the whim of the woods when it comes to their products.
“We’re really beholden to whatever the chemistry is of the sap on that day,” said Mark Isselhardt with the UVM Extension.
He says the sap harvested on cold days earlier in the season tends to be lighter, and it typically gets darker as the season warms up. Factors like tubing tank sanitation and reverse osmosis can also influence color and flavor.
“We’ve had a year where it’s been colder, and people say, ‘Well, I’m struggling to make dark. My consumers want some, but I’m just not making it,’” Isselhardt said.
This isn’t one of those years for Poor Farm Sugar Works in Colchester. They’re producing syrup across the spectrum, including a healthy dose of dark. The farm’s Dan Schroeder says it can open the door to more business.
“What’s nice about having a more spread out group of syrups is you can maybe appeal to more customers,” he said.
Across the board, sugar-makers say retailers and manufacturers often prefer crowd-pleaser amber, though they take what they can get. But a niche group of Vermonters has makers on speed dial, waiting for a coveted bottle of dark.
“As long as it’s real Vermont maple syrup and it’s not the fake artificial corn syrup stuff, I’m good with it,” Raymonde said.
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