The sap in maple trees is about 98% water, or more importantly, about 2% sugar. Maple syrup is made by taking the water out of the sap and increasing the sugar content until the perfect density is achieved, resulting in maple syrup. 

There are usually about 4-6 weeks in Vermont when the weather is just right for making maple syrup. Freezing temperatures at night and 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit during the day create the perfect weather pattern to get the sap moving in the trees. Some people call this time of year Spring, others call it Mud Season, we call it Sugaring Season.  When the temperature follows this freeze thaw pattern, pressure builds within the trees, causing the sap in the tree to flow. 

This is the time to tap the maple trees (those greater than 10 inches in diameter). First a small hole is drilled in the trunk, then a spout is inserted to divert some of the sap into a bucket or tubing that runs to a stainless steel collection tank. After sugaring season all the spouts are removed from the tree to allow the tap hole to heal.

Once the sap is collected, it is boiled in the evaporator pan over a very hot fire in a firebox, called an arch. Steam billows up from the sap, taking water with it, and out of the smokestacks or cupola of the sugar house, leaving behind the sweet syrup.  

When the syrup thickens and reaches 219 degrees Fahrenheit, it is drawn off from the evaporator pan, tested for specific density with a hydrometer (66.9° Brix), filtered, canned and graded for color and flavor. 

It takes approximately 40 gallons of maple sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup.

Sap is often put through a reverse osmosis machine before it goes to the evaporator. This takes a large percentage of the water out of the sap, leaving it with greater sugar content and therefore it will thicken and turn into syrup faster.

In 2020, Vermont produced 2.22 million gallons of maple syrup, which is about 50% of what the total US production. That 2.22 million gallons of maple syrup started out as 88,800,000 gallons of sap! In 2022 Vermont produced 2.55 million gallons of syrup.