birch syrup

I have just started tapping my first birch tree.....besides drinking the sap anyone got ideas on what else i can do it? how long can i keep the sap in a fridge? any help appreciated !! i'm surprised on how good it tastes!!

Some species of Birch have edible leaves that can be used for tea.

thanks matt, any idea which ones ?

Matt Smith wrote:Some species of Birch have edible leaves that can be used for tea.

I believe most species of Birch have edible parts, including sap, leaves, and twigs, although they may taste slightly different. If you have positively identified your trees I'm sure you can look up the species to make sure it's okay. It's similar to maples - you can collect sap from any type of maple, but the Sugar Maples will give you the sweetest sap. A friend and I collected some twigs from Yellow Birch last year, although I believe that Black Birch is supposed to be a bit sweeter... but I'm not an expert. However, I do know that while the leaves are sometimes used for tea (especially medicinally), I believe it's the twigs and bark that are used most commonly for teas and flavorings. They have the wintergreen flavor associated with birch beer and the like. You can also just chew on a birch twig to freshen your breath. I've even read about giving them to teething babies to chew on as it can also help relieve pain.

thanks leah, so to make the tea, i just boil the water and seep some twigs in it ?

Hi!

The sap will not last long if you don't boil it, there are natural yeasts in there that make it sour pretty quickly. You can get a good syrup that keep indefinitely by boiling the sap down to about 1/100th of the original volume.

When I make syrup I don't strain it (most people do). That's because I think that the sap is full of minerals as well as the sugars. Minerals are good for me

thanks david, so you would boil how much at a time ? 2 litres ? i am enjoying drinking it as well, i think it could be a cleanser after st patrick's day !!

Lil, Drinking unboiled sap will clean you out You may want a remedy for that on hand, maybe raspberry roots? When we boil sap we go for surface area rather than amount. We have a wood stove so the rule is, as many pots as will fit on the top of the stove. The more surface area the more quickly the sap will boil down. As the sap gets thicker in each pot we combine into one pot to finish.

A good rule of thumb for when it is done is to boil it until it is seven degrees (Celsius) above whatever the boiling point of water is for you that day. So I boil a pot of water and measure the temperature. Then I wait until the sap boils about seven degrees higher than that. If you boil it for too long it becomes taffy and then sugar. Don't worry, just add a bit more sap and it turns into syrup again.

thanks david, i don't know about raspberry roots......?..........I will follow your directions , thanks !

lil hodgins wrote:thanks david, i don't know about raspberry roots......?.

Unboiled sap usually gives people the runs. Raspberry roots can stop that

Ok, lol , i thought the raspberries were a cure for st patricks day !! been drinking the sap for 3 days with no side effects ! might cut down a bit this morning as i am heading to town later !!

Isn't xylitol made from birch syrup as well?

Suzy Bean wrote:Isn't xylitol made from birch syrup as well?

"Introducing Birch Twigs.
Nature's Sugar Free Chewing Gum"
- Patent Pending