When making a batch of maple syrup from your own small batch maple syrup operation, it can be hard to know your maple syrup is done. Using these strategies, you’re sure to create a beautiful syrup without any disappointments.
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One question I get from a lot of new maple syrup makers is “How do I know when my maple syrup is done?” It’s a great question to ask, because if you’ve never made maple syrup before, you can’t really tell just by looking.
When we made our very first batch of maple syrup, we were so excited. We cooked it down all day on the stove, and finally after many hours, the end was in sight. But, we had one problem. We didn’t know how to tell when the syrup was done! While cooking, it still seemed so thin; it wasn’t thick like maple syrup from the store was. So we just let it keep cooking. And cooking. Until finally, we thought, we better take it off the stove because there was hardly any left! When we removed it from the heat, the syrup thickened and cooled into a hard maple candy that seemed to be glued into the kettle I had been cooking it in. It was such a disappointment to have wasted all of the time collecting and all of the time cooking to not get any maple syrup! We couldn’t even get the candy out to eat that! Luckily, we’ve since learned how to tell when maple syrup is done, and we haven’t lost another batch since!
When making maple syrup, there are several different strategies you can use to test if your maple syrup is done cooking. Certain tools, like hydrometers and thermometers, are reliable resources to make sure that your syrup is cooked to the perfect sugar content level. Using them reduces the risk of burning the syrup and losing the whole batch or producing syrup that is not sweet enough. A hydrometer or thermometer are not the only ways of testing when syrup is done, however. The spoon test is another strategy that can be used when other tools are unavailable.
These are some ways that you can test if your maple syrup is done and ready to be bottled and sealed.
Table of Contents
- 1. Hydrometer
- 2. Thermometer
- 3. Spoon Test
- Importance of Knowing Your Maple Syrup is Done
- Conclusion
- Pin this Post!
- Find more on making maple syrup:
- Recipes with Maple Syrup
1. Hydrometer
A hydrometer is a really accurate way to measure the sugar content in your sap, and because of this, it very easily lets you know if your maple syrup is done. Hydrometers measure the density of the syrup and floats in higher concentrated sugar concentrations. The more sugar your sap has, the more the hydrometer will float!
How to Use a Hydrometer:
To use a hydrometer, you’ll need a test cup of some kind, or a really tall glass or water bottle.
- Place the cooking sap into the test cup
- Gently release your hydrometer into the liquid.
- The hydrometer will start to float. If it doesn’t float at all, you’re very far away from being finished.
- You will want the hydrometer to float so that the syrup surface lines up with the “hot test red line”. If the hydrometer hot test line is below the liquid, it is not sweet enough. If the hot test red line is far above the liquid, it’s overly done.
A hydrometer is our tool of choice when it comes to making maple syrup. It’s a reliable, consistent, and accurate way to know your maple syrup is done. But a hydrometer is obviously not a common household tool. Most people don’t have one laying in the cupboard. So, if you’re just getting started with maple syrup, do you need a hydrometer?
You do not need a hydrometer to make maple syrup. With that being said, it’s also worth noting that the hydrometer is probably the most reliable way to tell when your syrup is done. Nevertheless, there are other strategies and tools you can use to test to see if your syrup is done if a hydrometer is not available.
Usually, you can buy a hydrometer at local hardware stores during maple syrup season. If you’re looking for an online option, Amazon has a hydrometer and test cup bundle that you can buy here or here.
2. Thermometer
A candy thermometer is another fairly reliable way to test if your maple syrup is done. In general, you will want to cook your maple sap until it reaches 219 degrees (or 7 degrees above the boiling point of water for your elevation). We have found digital candy thermometers work better than classic or dial thermometers.
One thing to note about using thermometer to check if your maple syrup is done is the fact that it depends on atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure can change daily, so the 219 degrees may not always be an accurate temperature for syrup. You can always ensure you the exact boiling point for each day by taking using water as a control, then adding 7 degrees to the boiling point for the day. Honestly, this isn’t a huge deal, but is something to be considered.
You can buy a digital thermometer with a clip here from Amazon.
3. Spoon Test
The spoon test is a strategy to test if your syrup is done without any other tools or equipment. To do this test, simply dip a metal spoon into the boiling syrup. Watch the syrup as it drips back into the pan. If it sheets or flows off in a stream, it’s nearly done. If it comes off in drops, it has more to cook. If you’re still not sure, you can take the spoon with some syrup on it and stick it into the freezer for a few minutes. After it’s cool, see the consistency of it. If it’s still very watery, you’ll know it needs to cook more. If it’s syrup-like, you’re probably close to being done.
The spoon test is probably the least reliable way of knowing whether or not your syrup is done. It can be difficult to recognize or tell if the syrup is indeed sheeting or if it needs to be cooked more, and mistakes can be made. However, it is an option to consider if you don’t have tools available.
Importance of Knowing Your Maple Syrup is Done
It’s really important to know when your maple syrup is done. There is a lot to lose by just guessing, and after all of the time you’ve taken to collect, filter, and now cook your sap, you don’t want all of that hard work to be wasted.
Overcooking your sap
Overcooking your sap can result in some pretty catastrophic results. In the best case scenario, overcooking your sap means that you have a dark, thick syrup that is really sweet. However, the best case scenario doesn’t always happen.
These are some of the major risks you run if you don’t have a reliable strategy for testing your maple sap:
- The syrup has a burnt flavor. We have had batches of syrup that have had a “burnt marshmallow taste”. It takes away from the naturally beautiful maple flavor, and it’s not something you necessarily want in your maple syrup.
- You produce less syrup. Even in the best case scenario when you’re left with a sweeter, thicker syrup, you’re still producing less syrup than you would have had you not cooked it so long. Maple syrup is hard to get! It takes a lot of gallons of sap to make maple syrup (the ratio is about 40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of maple syrup!). You don’t want to lessen the amount of syrup you produce because you overcooked it.
- It will burn or turn into candy. Maple syrup is sticky. If it burns onto the pan or hardens as a candy onto your pan, it is a huge mess and hard to clean up. No one wants extra mess!
Conclusion
So there you have it! You’re sure to find success with these three ways to know if your maple syrup is done. Using a combination of the three ways is a really careful strategy to make sure your syrup is done and ready before you seal it. You don’t want to lose out on any of your precious maple syrup!
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Find more on making maple syrup:
- TOP TEN THINGS TO DO THE MONTH BEFORE MAPLE SYRUP SEASON
- MOLD IN MAPLE SYRUP: WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
- HOW TO START WITH SMALL BATCH MAPLE SYRUP MAKING
- FOR EVEN MORE, CLICK HERE
I love this post! This is something I have been wanting to get into, and I love how much information you have about making maple syrup on your site. Definitely going to be reading more about it.
That’s great! I’m glad it is helpful!
Interesting & very informative post! I didn’t know maple syrup can be made at home. I use it all the time too. I will have to save this for when I try it myself! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yes! It’s a great way to save money and harvest something from the land!
This is so cool! I’ve been wanting to make my own maple syrup for so long!
I hope it works out for you! Let me know if you try it!