Grade B Maple Syrup

[mdbrewer1]

Does anyone have a good source for quality Grade B maple syrup? I'm hoping to use some in a maple pecan porter this weekend and it sounds like Grade B will give more maple flavor than the Grade A stuff I have from Costco.

Thanks!

 

[Oginme]

Ordered this for a holiday porter. It has a strong maple flavor, not super sweet. The porter is still in the fermentor, so I can't tell you how it ended up. I made this same recipe last year with grade A and the maple flavor (should be dry, maple, woody) in the finished ale did not really show through.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2N7FA8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[mdbrewer1]

Ordered this for a holiday porter. It has a strong maple flavor, not super sweet. The porter is still in the fermentor, so I can't tell you how it ended up. I made this same recipe last year with grade A and the maple flavor (should be dry, maple, woody) in the finished ale did not really show through.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2N7FA8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Thanks. I ordered some too. I'm a little concerned with some of the recent reviews regarding the packaging, but I'll be getting it tomorrow and if anything is wrong I can make the drive out to Trader Joe's and pick some up there. I didn't even think about checking there until I read another review after I had already ordered. I believe Amazon will refund me if there is something wrong with the syrup I get from them so hopefully I won't be out anything and it shouldn't cause me to have to push back brew day. The weather on the other hand might make things difficult.

 

[cujocon]

Not for nothin' but Trader Joes got in trouble recently for having poor quality Maple Syrup sold as better Grade.
There was at one point a recall, but that could have been 10 years ago.

If you can get to New England, you should be able to get Grade B dark at just about any country store.

 

[mdbrewer1]

Not for nothin' but Trader Joes got in trouble recently for having poor quality Maple Syrup sold as better Grade.
There was at one point a recall, but that could have been 10 years ago.

If you can get to New England, you should be able to get Grade B dark at just about any country store.

Unfortunately, a trip to New England before Sunday is not in the cards. I'll definitely keep the idea in the back of my mind if I ever do make my way up there and pick up a jug to bring back.

I'll have to investigate the Trader Joe's thing a little to see if it is still an issue. One of the suggestions I got on here was to add the syrup at high krausen and not a flameout like I had originally planned. That might give me the extra time I need to re-order a different brand of syrup off Amazon and have it get here in time to add it then.

 

[mdbrewer1]

The syrup came yesterday and the packaging looks just fine. I'll be tossing 16 oz. in just before I leave on Tuesday. It was suggested in another thread to add it at high krausen, and it should be close, depending on lag time. Going to try to get a starter cranked up tonight to help in that regard.

 

[phug]

Thanks. I ordered some too. I'm a little concerned with some of the recent reviews regarding the packaging, but I'll be getting it tomorrow and if anything is wrong I can make the drive out to Trader Joe's and pick some up there. I didn't even think about checking there until I read another review after I had already ordered. I believe Amazon will refund me if there is something wrong with the syrup I get from them so hopefully I won't be out anything and it shouldn't cause me to have to push back brew day. The weather on the other hand might make things difficult.

funny thing is, if TJs is still pulling that stunt, it will still work out for the brewer. You don't really want Grade A anyway, as it was supposed to be a replacement for table sugar, and therefore not have super noticeable flavour or colour. So if you get grade B you're good.

 

[mdbrewer1]

funny thing is, if TJs is still pulling that stunt, it will still work out for the brewer. You don't really want Grade A anyway, as it was supposed to be a replacement for table sugar, and therefore not have super noticeable flavour or colour. So if you get grade B you're good.

I thought about that later too. I'll check out their pricing next time I'm there. I'm curious how it compares to the stuff I just got.

 

[cujocon]

Well - I think the issue was that what they were calling Grade A was really commercial-grade.
Not the sweet deliciousness of Grade B Dark, but rather the stuff that big industry dumps in their food to say "Made with Real Maple Syrup".
Commercial is not the stuff you want.

Of course, all that said, it's been 10 years since they got into trouble for that stunt so they've likely cleaned up their act by now.

 

[mdbrewer1]

Well, I verified that the syrup has sugar in it.

Brew day got delayed several weeks due to some cold/flu issues going around the house and general lack of free time, but I pitched 12 oz. into my pecan porter at high krausen a couple days ago and the yeasties went crazy on it. While I slept, new krausen filled the last 5+ inches of headspace and pushed into and all the way out the airlock. When I came down in the morning, the airlock was plugged and the bucket lid was bulging considerably. Luckily, I caught it before things got really bad.

The taste was different than what I was expecting. I thought it would taste like Grade A on crack, sort of like a "hit you in the face with maple" flavor. Instead it was a richer, fuller flavor if that makes any sense. Sort of like what you'd expect when you reduce a sauce when cooking. I'm excited to see how much the flavor comes through in the finished product.

 

[sloppybones]

Well, I verified that the syrup has sugar in it.

Brew day got delayed several weeks due to some cold/flu issues going around the house and general lack of free time, but I pitched 12 oz. into my pecan porter at high krausen a couple days ago and the yeasties went crazy on it. While I slept, new krausen filled the last 5+ inches of headspace and pushed into and all the way out the airlock. When I came down in the morning, the airlock was plugged and the bucket lid was bulging considerably. Luckily, I caught it before things got really bad.

The taste was different than what I was expecting. I thought it would taste like Grade A on crack, sort of like a "hit you in the face with maple" flavor. Instead it was a richer, fuller flavor if that makes any sense. Sort of like what you'd expect when you reduce a sauce when cooking. I'm excited to see how much the flavor comes through in the finished product.

Trying to revive a dead thread here. Did this work out for you? Looking to do the same thing. Really want that maple flavor to come through.