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Swimming in Sap!

by Don 3/23/2020 8:27:00 AM

We at Somerskogen wish all of you good health.  We are all in uncharted waters, but trying to maintain one's routine is an effective way to cope with stress and the unknown.

 We have, at times, been so busy in the sugarbush that our minds clear and our hearts lighten from the current events.  In the last 24 hours, we have collected over 2500 gallons of sap from our 1200 taps. This is an Incredible amount! We are turning all the sap into delicious syrup as I write this. Our last 4 barrels have been a very light Golden Delicate grade which we haven't seen in 3 seasons. The crisp nights and only moderate temperatures of 35-40° during the day has preserved the crystal clarity of the sap.

 At the end of a busy day, I sometimes reward myself with a delicious cocktail that I learned from our friends at Spoon and Stable restaurant, called the "Maple Leaf":

       2 oz. Bourbon

      0.5 oz. Somerskogen maple syrup

      0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, short shake hard, strain onto ice, garnish with 1 dash Angostura bitters and a lemon peel expressed.

 Enjoy this delicious cocktail and stay healthy!       

Keeping a Social Distance at Somerskogen

by Don 3/17/2020 7:10:00 PM

The entire world has been focused on the pandemic of Coronavirus . Everyone's routine has been altered in response to pubic health issues.

The maple trees appear to have not gotten the news! They have been very active with ideal warming warming days in the 40's, triggering sap flows of more than a gallon per tap. The snow is melting rapidly and small streams are scattered on the hillsides.

We are nearing 300 gallons of finished syrup, which is usually 60% of an excellent harvest.  The sap remains crystal clear, suggesting more good flows ahead before warming periods take hold. All the syrup made thus far is a clear Amber Rich grade, with a delicious, outstanding taste.

It appears the next 3 days will bring robust flow before another cold spell with snow arrives in two days.

Stay safe and stay tuned!

And the sap flow begins!

by Don 3/9/2020 11:56:00 AM

The first week of March has historically been the period of tapping and preparation. However, we had some warm days in late January/mid-February and decided to tromp through the woods, putting in the 1200 taps when winter conditions were favorable. We're glad we did! Proving the adage that it's " better to be lucky than good". we were prepared for the early first run of the season on March 2nd. We obtained over 1 gallon of sap/tap for 4 consecutive days! This is greater than 25% of the season's predicted yield! At the end of the weekend, we had 108 gallons of finished syrup. We hope the good flow continues during this week, and in weeks to come.

 Our yield thus far has been a delicious amber rich syrup with a rich mouth feel, with lingering maple flavor. We believe it is even richer and more complex than our Minnesota state champion syrup from 2019!  Research in the maple industry has compared the flavor of maple syrup in relation to the sugar concentration (Brix). While 66.0˚ Brix is the lower limit of legal density syrup, we find the flavor and mouth feel much better at 67˚ Brix. We aim for this density and have been quite pleased with the results.

The coming week forecast predicts highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's - ideal for a banner week!

 Stay tuned!

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