A neighbor got me tapping my maple trees a few years ago. Last year I decided to make a beer with the sap.
This article suggested adding some Epsom salt and calcium chloride to the mash water. So I added 1.35g of each to 9 gallons of sap. I mashed an amber malt bill. Boiled with 24 IBU cascade. I added 1lb of Jaggery sugar (Mosher says Jaggery adds maple flavor in Radical Brewing) and 1lb of maple syrup post flame out. Fermented with California yeast. I was concerned that the maple flavor would ferment out, so I added 2.5 teaspoons of Fenugreek which I read is used to make artificial maple flavor.
It took a while for the beer to hit its stride. I didn't care for it at first. Eventually it cleared and the maple flavor started to shine. I'm really happy with it. That said, the maple sap is about 2°Brix coming out of the tree, so it's more of a gimmick than a necessary ingredient. When I do it again, I'm going to cut the Fenugreek as I'd rather not have artificial flavor. This year I'm considering using the maple sap for a big sweet stout and for the
2020 BoC gingerbread brown.
Club soda (30 psi) Tap 5
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