How to Make Maple Syrup (and the science of maple sap)

Ever wondered how to make maple syrup? Curious about why maple sap is sweet, or where it comes from? Then this is the video for you!
Homemade maple syrup is a wonderful free treat and an excellent use of your property. It could even be a source of income if you have enough trees!

[@zerskier]

good to know there's someone making even less than I do, I only made 15 liters this year, but its a tradition. Single pan, cooked over wood, there's nothing like it..

[@BackToReality]

You're right zerskier, nothing like it! We'll take what we can get. :) Thanks for watching.

[@dota2topmmrrankedfullgamep913]

The process is easier than I thought, thanks for sharing.

[@jodykristianto6395]

Lol dota top mmr?

[@JeffDale613]

I have to say that it looked delicious, and your animations... ON POINT! Good job guys!!

[@BackToReality]

Thanks Jeff!

[@wesleyfrei]

why do I feel the sudden urge to stick a straw in the tree and just start drinking

[@soybeanthegreat7767]

mmm

[@eelement589]

I mean its just sugary water, so people just gonna call you hummingbird man

[@legendarygorilla6743]

@@eelement589 lmaooo

[@PawPierce]

Did this last week! You can actually drink the sap as Vitamin water FYI

[@calebantle4325]

I learned more about trees in this video than all of my high school science classes.

[@madiantin]

Please let there be animations please let there be animations please let there be animations YES!!! I hope you get a ton more sap. You guys definitely deserve all the maple syrup. =)

[@nyxiia23]

Check out now lol

[@deborahchristmas8752]

What fun! I bet that with a a tree as large as the one you had there that you could have put at least 2 more spiles on it. Also, I bet you have a whole lot more maple trees around that you could tap for more this spring.

[@zentrobi1548]

i know this is a 3 years later, but you should really use a brush and remove those fine metal particels wich lands on the metal thingy you put in the tree, before hainging the bucket on it.

[@susch7466]

wellp, he has already done it this year. come again next year lol

[@brendancollins9057]

my science teacher assigned this video for us to watch. Very informational!

[@kukuinut6028]

That was awesome just what my 8 yr old and i were looking for. Thanks so much for sharing!! 😁

[@rainydaylady6596]

Now I want pancakes! I became a convert to using real maple syrup after a trip to Vermont and a maple syrup "factory". ( It was a small place so factory seems a bit enthusiastic a term to use.). Another fun and informative video! Yummy.

[@BackToReality]

I know...once you have real maple syrup the table syrup just doesn't compare. Thanks for watching. :)

[@giraffeman326]

I have a full day of work tomorrow but gotta watch how maple syrup is made cause that’s super important for me right now.

[@HappyGnoux]

That was super fun and super interesting! Thank you!!

[@CITAP1]

Great video. Nice production, animation, narrative. You guys definitely got and deserved your just reward.

[@I_Am_Michael]

it is like an addictive drug. you are now hooked. awesome video. cool animations. keep them coming.

[@mksabourinable]

My uncle makes maple syrup, he's got a bunch of land surrounded by farms, And his land is the size of a big farm, but it's all forested, mostly with sugar maple trees. Every spring growing up we'd go over to help him collect the maple sap. And as a reward we'd get to have maple syrup on snow afterwards. Plus sometimes we'd just drink some of the sap.... It's super good actually!! It's like maple flavoured water!!! (I feel like someone could honestly make a lot of money if they just sold that as a drink tbh)

[@codycopley9549]

Came for the animations. Was not disappointed. Great video.

[@lightningxx]

My (4yr old) daughter loved the animations about how it works

[@RussiaBoatz]

I love the effort and education put into your work. 💕 thank you for sharing. We appreciate you

[@cindybetts8341]

I've wondered why maple syrup was so expensive. Now I know! I really enjoy all of your videos! I can tell you both really love life and each other!!! 💙💖

[@misscaffy]

This was so interesting to see, and really useful and helpful explanation, thank you!

[@Amanda-lx7lm]

your videos are so much fun! Thanks for sharing

[@emilyoneal8913]

what a great video thanks for doing this vid and teaching all of us how to make maple syrup

[@annepius]

The best elementary instruction video I have seen. Many thanks.

[@kathymoore3967]

good for you, just watching your videos, i have been sapping for 36 years with about ten buckets my hubby made me a very small evaporator stainless with tubes that the fires run threw on our home made wood stove, works great I use maple syrup on everything baking, barby sauce etc. way to go .

[@bettyjo4850]

Congrats! This was wonderful. I do hope you find other trees on your property to tap.

[@timsbakery4293]

Thank you very much, you made our learning experience today so much fun.

[@May082010]

That was a great video I used this during my homeschooling lesson plans about different type of trees

[@bridgetku1996]

EXCELLENT VIDEO! Perfect for my intermediate students learning about the science of maple syrup

[@BackToReality]

Thanks! I'm really glad it will be helpful! :) We also did a follow up video that talks about how the tree heals itself after removing the spile, in case that's useful as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2abd393ptinftU

[@JujuBee77]

New subscriber! It was perfect for just the two of you no need for more lol. Great video!

[@NomadicDane]

That was so cool. I did not know how to make it. Thank you for the nice video. Life is good.

[@dominiquebt]

That was soooo awesome! Enjoy!

[@heidibundy8906]

Excellent information!

[@hmlab1075]

VERY, VERY WELL DONE! Thank you!

[@montymontridge]

This is something I've always wanted to do as well. It was fun watching the experiment. Im learning a lot from your channel. Thank you! (I might try the Ruth Stout method for my own garden this year. )

[@helen_grace_cosplay]

How exciting! What a fun project :)

[@rustedoakhomestead]

Totally worth the effort!

[@KingdomExplorationLLC]

Well done my friend. I had the pleasure of doing that in Anchorage Alaska when I was a kid.

[@DaZebraffe]

Pro tip for future attempts: Try and find sugar maple trees, if you can. The sugar maple species has twice as much sugar in its sap as other maple species, so the ratio halves to twenty liters of sap for a liter of syrup.

[@jamesrempel8522]

The normal ratio for sugar maples is usually described as 40:1, and for silver maple or birch or walnut it's more like 80:1. But in my personal experience, having been making syrup for my family for 4 years, I'm getting more like 25:1 or 30:1. This is due to many factors: maples in a bush have thinner sap than maples in the open. Maples with sun exposure on the trunk produce more sap than those with shaded trunks.

[@sebastianr3460]

The sheer joy of making syrup. This video is so wholesome.

[@pathopkins4882]

HOW SWEEEET is this! Another great video guys!

[@colleenlassie2600]

I can hardly take watching you guys I laugh so much.. =D really love your take on life.. thanks for a another great video..

[@ingerhaugland6763]

Cool! Thanks for the great video! :)

[@DoUEvenLift]

great video and well explained

[@_Amilio_]

great explanation. thanks

[@JessieSamanthaEmily]

Okay, I know I am watching and commenting on a lot of your videos this morning, but you guys are literally living my dream. This is so fun! Have you thought about trying birch trees next year? I have heard birch sap is the newest energy drink fad at whole foods because of it's natural electrolytes

[@BuddyGtr]

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

[@titaniumdiveknife]

This animation is amazing. Yay!

[@paulsmart5199]

another great video, you could try tapping birch trees in early spring. birch sap is supposed to be awesome

[@BackToReality]

Thanks Paul. Looks like that is on Derricks list. :)

[@billherrick3569]

good job explaining the science of sap.

[@katermorgana]

Love you, guys!

[@tovaritchboy]

Now that is WAY cool! Hope you find a few more trees, if not know what you can plant around your garden area, hahaha Happy Syrup making.

[@eggomyweggo6576]

I’m reminded of that one episode of flapjack. Good times

[@TheNetymags]

My dad use to love tapping trees and making syrup!

[@thuynguyen-km2lq]

What a great video

[@MeliponiculturaenCostaRica]

Just like my bees, each hive of native stingless bees makes 100-500ml of honey a year!

[@mohammedabahussain4562]

Awesome man

[@navyguywandell]

So I love your channel, here's how we do this. I use food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids ( went to a restaurant and asked, they gave them to us for free) I insert the tap into the tree, and use a food grade tubing to go from the tap through the lid of the bucket so nothing can get in. I get about 30 gallons of syrup from our 5 trees.

[@jamesrempel8522]

30 gal from 5 trees, wow, that's pretty good. Last year I got 14 litres of syrup from 4 trees, though most years I think I'll get more. But 14 litres is enough for my family.

[@navyguywandell]

Were in upstate New York and there sugar maples, i dont know if that affects it.

[@mjsmith1223]

Nice! We have 2 maple trees in our yard and we got enough sap to make about 2 gallons of syrup this year. Ok, but not great. It got too warm, too fast this spring. Sugaring time is fun and exciting!

[@jksatte]

Wow, so you got about 80 gallons of sap from 2 tree's. I wondered how much it took. I think 2 gallons is a good amount. Good for you. Janice

[@mjsmith1223]

Yes, those two trees produce really well. On their best days we'll collect about 5 gallons between the two. We are thankful for such good maples we can tap.

[@ladytaz22]

That's cool

[@TheKlink]

you can tap other trees too. got any birches?

[@thetravellingwildberries4244]

Hi Derik and Paula. That was what i would call "scrumptious" looking syrup. Onwards and upwards to larger and larger batches. You guys should taste the maple fudge my wife makes from her secret recipe. YUMMM... It's so good, i believe NASA ordered some for the space shuttle crew one time (just being silly :-) Well wishes from the Travelling Wildberries :-)

[@BackToReality]

It was amazing!! lol...sounds really yummy! :)

[@asankam]

Very cool and informative... How do you pick which maple tree is good. I have two in my yard and I'd like to know if they would be good candidates. Thanks!

[@mattysamsonmusic]

You can do more than one spial per tree depending on the diameter of the trunk :-) So have a google about it!

[@theapricotbambino]

thanks for blowing my ear drums up...

[@GatorLife57]

Yall make it so interesting ! Are you a animator in real life ? Thumbs up. ENJOY... THE SIMPLE LIFE

[@drsoosstttm8375]

Why did you have to make another video about this 10 yrs later?

[@hysculinaryjournal8461]

Hello, I really like your video. Very educational. I am also making a maple syrup video. May I ask how do you get the animation of the maple sap process. Thank you!

[@superfluous9726]

A bit late but. While boiling it you can toss in some vinilla bean pods and then leave them in the bottle. The best is about two pods per 250 ml or 8 per liter. The longer you leave them in the stronger the flavor. Age it for one or two years for the best flavor. Edit: if you use aged maple wood and African black heart, both of which should be as dry as physically possible, you can add in a bit of a smoky woody aroma to the syrup. Throw in some nuts and herbs, I prefer nutmeg, in the fire and that will add it too.

[@BackToReality]

You've just opened up a whole world of exciting possibilities! Thanks for the tips!

[@superfluous9726]

@@BackToReality yeah no problem mate. And something I forgot, whatever you boil the sap in can majorly change the flavor, as can seasoning the kettle you use. I'm not super knowledgeable on that subject but it can make some fun experimenting.

[@kprairiesun]

Can also make birch syrup on certain types of birches

[@tyrstone3539]

Have you had it? What's it like?

[@kprairiesun]

@@tyrstone3539 no but this video and all I've seen say it is sweet and refreshing and known for health benefits like giving energy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHmYoKt-i8yIrK8

[@PawPierce]

Got 750 ML od syrup from 20L of sap collected last week, boiled ot down today... 9 hours. But were having pancakes for breakfast in the morning amd the trees are still pumpin

[@af2313]

Haha yay maple syrup! But Derek, you need to work on your pancakes!! 😂😜

[@Mryamahaz71]

Yup i also produce maple syrup. And all season i just drink the sap. Last year was good i averaged 3.3% sugar so boil time was alot lower. Now that youve done it youll have to tap more this year! Where are you located roughly in Ontario?

[@joshuapersaud1659]

When did you tap your trees?

[@Notreallyanostrich]

At 6:40, why is it that the water in the tree expands during the day and contracts at night?Water expands when it solidifies, right?

[@asafimc]

The water expands when freezing because of the bond between h2o atoms, but it still expands when hot because of the vibration of the molecules generated by heat, thus creating more pressure. Quick edit: the pressure build up is not generated by the water, but from the syrup bubbles formed inside the water

[@elflordsjourneys]

Another very educational video,so you guys only have 1 maple tree on your property?

[@BackToReality]

lol...We have more than one but not many at all. Our property has more poplar, birch and cedar trees.

[@midkiffsjoy]

@@BackToReality You can tap birch. All we have are elm. It takes a stupid amount of elm sap to make syrup.

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[@Doug_Fany]

Sadly I think it's almost impossible to do that in my country, it's tropical and we don't know what winter season is.

[@hedgery7321]

The consistency of syrup shown at the end looks a bit thick. If left in storage, it could turn into rock candy- that happened to us once. :)

[@alexstone691]

I always thought maple syrup was from fruits I have never tasted it so i cant judge that

[@IWatts007]

Eh nice vid bud

[@noahvrs1004]

Oh there goes gravity

[@BeeRich33]

Where are you guys? I'm in Toronto.

[@jamesrempel8522]

From other videos it looks like the Ottawa area.

[@argus4650]

How fucking starved were people to have discovered maple sap and cook it.

[@sarahbellew1]

"Back to Reality", was the pun intended? How did your iPhone stay charged?

[@mikes6490]

i like the cartoon

[@dawnlouiseofficial]

I never knew sap looked like water!

[@18000rpm]

What does the sap taste like??

[@BackToReality]

Like VERY diluted syrup. Mildly sweet water.

[@thediscrete1703]

Thanks for the question and answer, I was wondering the same thing.

[@freakyflow]

Handed down from my Native father ...A knife a Long tack Duct tape and a plastic beer cup ..run the tack inthe inner lip of the cup and that into the Birch tree Make a lip with Duct tape Knock a hole into the tree with the knife ..done right 2 hours - full cup

[@ninalucas8703]

I NEVER liked maple syrup... cannot get it how people like it, when HONEY is so much delicious and beneficial!

[@ceceliap.r.9034]

it really is BAD to leave the spiles in the tree. they grow around the spile and can injure someone if you decide to cut the tree down

[@adslagle]

really cool video guys! made ya look😉

[@BackToReality]

Lol, ya got me!

[@natureguitarrunman2637]

Why am I watching this I live in Florida

[@wesramsey4945]

they're canadian aren't they

[@sean5028]

they might be, yeah

[@zynkiwinky8000]

aBoOt

[@jaquinite]

a buck for an empty plastic bottle?

[@BackToReality]

The water inside was free ;)

[@ashleycarpenter165]

Those pancake's look like shit lol..

[@samthoren1]

Pancakes!? Those aren't pancakes! Did you grind up the acorns from your oak trees as well? Sheesh!...... looks like cardboard

[@robertkeller9574]

Interesting though I personally wouldn't have the Heart to do this! You're making a wound where bugs can attack once spring rolls around plus you're technically stealing its food source!! Plus, tree's "don't know" but God's wonderful design!! Taking litres of sap for a cup of syrup seems silly!!! This video I don't agree with!

[@dustyandchelseamcclellan5670]

Also most people I know who make maple syrup say not to tap the same tree every year, and you only tap for a certain time period until the trees start to bud, which preserves enough sap for the tree to thrive.