Maple Sap/Syrup Beer

eschatz · 02-24-2008, 02:36 PM

my friend has 5 gal of sap and one pint of syrup that his family makes. Tell me what you think.

5 gal of sap instead of water
1 pint of maple syrup
4 # of DME
Nottinghams Ale Dry yeast
2 oz of Tettenanger

Special grains:
i really dont know. I guess i'll use about 12 oz of Crystal 80L. probably about 4 oz of Chocolate. I dont know what else to use. Someone give me some info on what the hell i'm making. I guess this is kinda like a maple mild brown. i'm not sure on the style points. all i know is that it'll make beer!

vtchuck · 02-24-2008, 08:39 PM

From the sap and syrup in the boil. You might try priming your bottles with the syrup... 1 cup (added to 1 boiling cup water) for 5 gallons and use the darkest syrup you have (B grade or Dark Amber). More of the maple flavor will survive with priming than boiling.

YMMV

Blender · 02-24-2008, 08:42 PM

I have not seen to many maple sap recipes so be patient someone may come along.............eventually

Is maple sap as thick and sticky and pine tree sap? What happens to it when heated and have you ever boiled it?

RadicalEd · 02-24-2008, 09:16 PM

Maple sap is very thin; maple syrup is boiled down sap. It takes quite a bit of sap to make a little syrup.

HP_Lovecraft · 02-25-2008, 03:07 AM

I read something in the "Joy of Homebrewing" by Papazian that he liked to substitute 1-2 gallons of water for equal amounts of Maple sap when it is in season.

I thought to myself, 1-2 gallons makes... how much maple syrup? a tablespoon? I don't see how it could hurt though.

nick

c.n.budz · 02-25-2008, 03:21 AM

That's weird... I'd never heard of brewing with sap until I found this on CL about 15 minutes before seeing this thread....

Cambo · 02-25-2008, 03:40 AM

I recently made a maple wine with 3L of maple syrup, brown sugar, and a lemon. What I learned is that maple is a very strong flavour, and that maple derivatives have a higher sugar content than you think. My maple wine came out quite strong, but with plenty of sugar left over to be sweet. Granted, you're using highly diluted syrup, but don't underestimate the maple; it is a very strong flavour. It sounds like it could be tasty if you use the right grains. My intution suggests making something dark, or perhaps a cream ale.

vtchuck · 02-25-2008, 09:40 PM

I have friends who have brewed with maple sap and I have tasted their brews. IMHO, the results are unimpressive. Because of those results I have been dissuaded from trying a sap beer Maybe its something about the boiling of the wort and / or fermentation, but little of the maple flavor remains. To get significant maple flavor you'll need at least a gallon of dark syrup (at ~ $40).

Go ahead and use the sap, but try my suggestion of using dark syrup to prime your bottles. It works. I made a tasty extract porter last spring that had more maple flavor than sap beers.

Or you might try pure maple extract (not maple flavor extract) added much like vanilla extract (end of boil and additional in secondary to taste)

YMMV

eschatz · 02-25-2008, 10:01 PM

yeah, i think you're all right. i didnt get much maple flavor when i tasted the wort before primary. so i think i'll add a pint to the secondary and if that's not enough when i taste it at the bottling i'll add it to the bottles and condition as such. who know what could happen with this stuff! : )

sipNswirl · 03-12-2008, 07:37 AM

because of the volume of sap you need to make syrup it's unlikely you'll get any intense maple flavour...but it's not tap water and it's gotta taste better than chlorine and fluoride. i say thats a great way to brew everyday!