How It’s Made

Steaming liquid poured from spout into mug.

Short and sweet facts

On average, it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup, but it depends on a number of different factors and can take anywhere from 20 to 100 gallons of sap.
Maple sap is mostly crystal-clear water with about 2% sugar content.
A typical sugaring season lasts 4 to 6 weeks. A pattern of freezing and thawing temperatures (below freezing at night and at least 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit during the day) will build up pressure within the trees causing the sap to flow.
Sugaring season ends when the warmer days of late spring arrive (unfortunately, sometimes they arrive earlier than late spring).
Vermont produces roughly 50% of the United States crop, or about 3.064 million gallons in 2025.
A tree needs to be about 40 years (generally, 10-12 inches in diameter) to be large enough to tap.
Some large maple trees in Vermont sugarbushes are over 200 years old!
Maple syrup needs to be stored properly once it makes its way to your kitchen! See below for more.

Maple leaf-shaped bottles filled with amber liquid.

The best way to store maple syrup

Maple syrup, when sealed and unopened, has a long shelf life if stored in a cool, dark place. The best way to store opened maple syrup is in the refrigerator or the freezer. Sometimes the larger containers of maple syrup are a better price per ounce. Feel free to take advantage of the better price and repack the syrup in smaller containers that fit better in your fridge or freezer - mason jars are a great option so you can see how much is in each jar. What if I see mold on my syrup? Food safety is incredibly important to maple producers and to consumers. For that reason, best practice is to throw away any syrup which has visible mold.

Cozy cabin with a wood-burning stove and people tending the fire.

How sap is turned into syrup (the short version)

The process starts with drilling a tap hole into a maple tree. A spout is inserted to direct the sap to either a bucket, bag or into tubing that sends the sap to a large collection tank at the sugar house or a central collection area, using gravite or a vacuum pump.
From the storage tanks, the sap is often put through a reverse osmosis (RO) machine, which takes a percentage of the water from the sap before boiling. Sugar makers use an evaporator to boil down the sap into syrup. The evaporation process sends clouds of sweet maple scented steam billowing from the sugarhouse cupolas and steam stacks. In most sugarhouses, stainless steel pans sit atop an arch, or firebox, where a heat source (wood, oil, wood chips, wood pellets) creates an intense fire. As the water in the sap evaporates, the sap thickens.
Generally, syrup is finished with it reaches 219 degrees F (or 7 degrees F above the boiling point of water, which depends on the sugar makers' location). Even though the drawn off syrup looks like the finished product, it will still need to be filtered and graded for flavor and color.

Grades of Maple Syrup

There's a lot more behind that golden bottle than just good taste. Learn how Vermont maple is made, who makes it, and why it's the best in the world.

Golden color with a delicate taste

Usually made at the beginning of the new maple season, this syrup was once graded as Fancy. Subtle maple flavor is best appreciated when used on pancakes, waffles, or paired with rich dairy items like yogurt or vanilla ice cream. Try it over Greek yogurt or for a simple but elegant dessert, simply pour this grade of Vermont syrup over vanilla ice cream.

Amber color with rich taste

Usually made about mid-season, and often seems to be the most popular for all-around use. Full of characteristic maple flavor, this syrup is equally as good over waffles as it is in salad dressings, cocktails, or in a maple-sweetened barbecue sauce. If you're only going to have one grade of Vermont maple syrup in your kitchen, make it Amber Color with Rich Taste.

Dark color with robust taste

As the maple season progresses, the syrup darkens in color and develops a more robust maple flavor. Good for all-around use, its hearty flavor is a great choice for all kinds of recipes. Pour over baked apples or squash, use as a glaze for meats and vegetables, or sweeten baked goods. This grade pairs well with smoky and spicy flavors like chipotle peppers, sriracha, or bourbon.

Very dark color with strong taste

Produced at the end of the season, it's perfect for cooking and baking. When you need a strong maple flavor in a bread or cookie, ice cream, or barbecue sauce, this is the grade of choice.

What do sugar makers do in the off-season

Whether sugar makers have an "off farm" job or not, there are many aspects of this work that happen year round - forest management, eradication of invasive plants, road management, pulling spouts, replacing lines, cleaning equipment. Sugar makers wear many hats - soil scientist, business manager and employer, forest manager, food safety specialist, maintenance technician, customer service rep, and so much more!
A lot of Vermont sugar makers will be busy making products from their syrup to sell from the sugarhouse and on their websites as well as at Farmers’ Markets and Fairs.
Sugar makers that use wood in their operations, stay busy splitting and stacking wood or creating their own wood chips or pellets.
In the months leading up to sugaring season, sugar makers will begin tapping trees in anticipation of the first sap run.
During the holidays, sugar makers who do mail order are especially busy making maple products and filling gift box orders. Make sure to include Vermont maple in your gift giving throughout the year!

Visit a Sugar Maker

Climate change

Sugar making requires ideal weather conditions from Mother Nature and sugar maples can be finicky trees, needing just the right conditions. The maple seasons and maple sap harvesting are highly sensitive to temperature changes of only a few degrees and have been greatly affected by long term climate change over the past 100+ years. The very particular weather conditions that stimulate sap flow have the potential for significant disruption with climate change. As a result, maple production is uniquely exposed to the risk of climate change.

VMSMA Climate Position Statement

Maple is more than just for pancakes

Maple syrup often conjures up images of pancakes being doused in the natural sweeter, and for good reason, they pair extremely well together. However, maple syrup is a natural pantry staple and can enhance cocktails, desserts and endless dishes. Wherever you see sugar or sweeteners in a recipe, you can substitute maple. Get cooking and get some ideas from our recipe page!

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