VT Maple Syrup

Real Maple Syrup

In Vermont there is more real maple syrup produced than any other state. Vermont Maple Syrup produced on our maple farm is pure and natural, made from the sap collected from our farm's carefully curated maple trees. Our syrup is pesticide and formaldehyde free, contains no preservatives, artificial flavoring or color. Maple Syrup is naturally gluten free, you can feel good about serving our maple syrup to your family. 

Fake syrup vs. real syrup, what’s the difference?

If you’ve had the pleasure of trying real maple syrup from our sugarhouse, you’ll probably agree with our customer’s comment below.

“You can fix a bad breakfast with real Vermont maple syrup or you can wreck a good breakfast with the fake stuff.  It’s an easy choice.”

         By R. Nye, CT 

A bottle of fake syrup is generally factory-made corn sugar and artificial maple flavoring and coloring. Real syrup is completely additive free and as we said, all-natural maple syrup. Maple tree sap is boiled down to a specific density by a sugar-maker, producing the color, flavor and aroma, the fake alternative could never attain. Once you’ve tried the real deal, you won’t have any more ruined breakfasts.

What is the best grade of maple syrup?

Many Vermonters will tell you their favorite grade of maple syrup, but it all comes down to your personal preference and the right syrup for the job. In 2015, Vermont adopted a new syrup grading system.  Here’s a run-down of the old system and the new system.

Golden Delicate or Fancy 

The lightest syrup made in the beginning of the maple season when the temperatures are colder. Golden Delicate Taste is a sweet, maple flavor with buttery notes. Popular as an ice cream topper, it is preferred for some home baking confections and as table syrup. This grade used to be “Fancy” maple syrup by Vermont's old maple law.

Amber Rich Taste

Amber Rich Taste syrup is a favorite for pancakes, french toast and waffles. This grade boasts a pleasant, rich maple flavor.  The translucent amber hue, when in a glass bottle, combined with its flavor popularity, makes this maple grade a perfect choice for gifts. Prior to 2015 this was known as “Medium Amber” maple syrup.

Dark Robust Taste

Another popular table syrup for your favorite breakfast, the Dark Robust Taste maple grade is the best maple syrup for those who desire more maple flavor.  The savory maple flavor will enhance your favorite culinary dishes. Versatility as a pancake syrup and a cooking syrup, makes the Dark Robust Grade a good choice for an all-around syrup. This maple grade previously known as “Dark Amber” maple syrup.

Very Dark Strong Taste

This grade covers a lot of territory.  The Very Dark Strong Taste grade of maple syrup is any grade that is darker than the Dark Robust and not off flavored.  What does that mean for consumers?  At our maple farm we’ve broken this down into two offerings.  The Very Dark Strong Taste/Baking is the lighter end of the scale for this maple grade.  The grade is very rich in maple flavor and lends itself very well to baking and cooking.  Especially, if you want to really taste that maple flavor.  This is the grade that was formerly known as "Grade B" maple syrup.

Then there is the other end of this grade that we call Very Dark Strong Taste/End of Season.  It’s the syrup we produced towards the end of the season. It’s full of the most minerals and antioxidants.  A sharp flavor that sticks to your taste buds, it is not a popular pancake syrup.  Although the former “Grade C” maple syrup has its place for those of you doing the Master Cleanse, it is also good for granola, marinades and mustards.

If you need more information, the boring regulations can be read here.

How long does maple syrup last?

Maple syrup will last a very long time. As a matter of fact, I've been telling customers that syrup will outlast the purchaser. We live in a world of best buy dates and use by dates and that causes a lot of good food to be unnecessarily thrown away.  Keep your maple syrup in a cool, dark storage area before opening, like a pantry.  After opening keep it in the fridge or the freezer. In that world of "dating food" industry standards indicate that after repackaging into containers for the consumer, syrup’s best by date is up to 2 years. Don't let a bottle of improperly stored maple syrup over a long period of time ruin a good pancake breakfast.

How to store maple syrup? Do you need to refrigerate real maple syrup?

After a container has been opened it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.  Unopened and opened containers can be stored in the freezer as well, further preserving the syrup.  But if you have maple syrup containers hanging around after 2 years, you need to find a better pancake recipe!