
Producers who were still collecting over the past week benefited from cooler weather or even freezing nights over the past week. Many saw the sap sweetness tick upward in addition to better rates of sap flow. Most, but not all, operations have reported below or significantly below average levels of sap sweetness in 2021. Off-flavors have begun to be detected as temperatures rise and sap becomes harder to keep fresh.
A Bennington County sugar maker reports their last boil was on 3/24. Sap wasn’t running at this location over the past week. Sap sweetness was “above average” at this location compared to their long term average. Total production reached 67%. This producer added this on 4/7:
“I boiled for the last time on 3/24. We had a 3 day stretch of 70 degree days that caused the buds to swell and peepers to sing. It was a short year, I made 2/3 of my average crop. I gathered 65% of the normal amount of sap, which was sweeter than the last few years. Some higher altitude sugaring operations were able to boil until the end of March before off-flavor syrup shut them down.“
A second Bennington County sugar maker reported their season ending on 4/2. The final sap that ran was averaging 1.25% or less, which is considered “average” for this location. The syrup produced was Very Dark/Strong with a “Buddy, Funky, unpleasant aftertaste”. Total production reached 75% of the anticipated total for the season. This sugar maker added:
“Looking back on the season, we got a minor run on the first day of March, but then a cold front moved in and it didn’t get above freezing for seven straight days. We hoped to make up that lost time in April, but the weather did not cooperate. The seven-day heat wave that came on March 20 – 26, when temperatures soaring into the mid-70s, was just too much. The warmth changed something in the trees, which changed something in the sap. Last week, the syrup went off-flavor. The sap still came after that, but neither we nor the place where we sold a portion of our sap this year thought it was worth the time and effort to collect and boil it. And so we’re done.
Examining the weather from a different angle, I noted that this March, in our woods, there were 11 days when daytime highs were in the 30s or below. And there were 11 days when highs were 60 degrees or higher. That left just 10 days in the sweet spot. I hauled sap on 22 days this season. Last year, I hauled sap on 32 days in a season that started on February 24 and ended on April 2. As the days-spent-hauling number would suggest, our yield this year was off by almost a third compared to last. In 2020, our Maple Hill bush averaged 29.5 gallons per tap, this year the average was 20.6.”
In Sullivan County, NH a sugar maker reported “average” rates of sap flow over the past week and sap sweetness at 1.25% or less. This is considered “below average” for this location. Syrup produced has been Amber/Rich color but with a “sour sap” off-flavor. Total production has reached 69% of the anticipated total at this location. The producer added the following on 4/5:
“Very poor weather. Crop is worst since 2012. Will maybe hit 75% of normal crop.”
In Windsor County a sugar maker reported sap flowing “very well” over the past week. Sap sweetness was “below average” for this period. Syrup produced was Dark/Robust with an undetermined off-flavor. Total production reached 95% of the anticipated total for this operation. This producer added the following:
“ended season after a very good week on April 6.”
A Rutland County sugar maker reported no sap flow on 4/5. What sap that had been collected was averaging 1.5% (considered “average” for this operation). Syrup produced has been Very Dark/Strong with no off-flavors. Total production was reported to have reached 65% of the anticipated total on 4/5. This producer added the following on 4/5:
“The cold weather has come too little too late for us. We have been making very dark for a week and it has progressively gotten stronger. The red maples are budded along with some sugar maples. We decided to call it quits on Sat. Sap was still running slowly but turned milky very quickly in the tanks. Niter was prevalent this year and never turned really really dark. With more warm weather predicted with barely freezing or not at all at night it made sense to stop. The warm weather is definitely one for the record books around here. We started pulling taps today 4/5. Maybe the earliest date we have ever started to pull.”
An Addison County sugar maker reported “average” rates of sap flow and sap sweetness at 1.25% or less over the past week. Sap sweetness is considered “significantly below average” for this operation. Syrup produced was Dark/Robust with no off-flavors detected. Total production has reached 50% of the anticipated total. On 4/6 this sugar maker added:
“sap sweetness has been steady at 1.3%…It’s well below our average.”
A Chittenden County sugar maker reported “average” rates of sap flow and sap sweetness around 1.5% (which is considered “average” for this operation). Syrup produced was Amber/Rich with no off-flavors detected. Total production reached 78% of the anticipated total as of 4/1.
A second Chittenden County producer reported sap running “very well” over the past week. Sap sweetness was 1.25% or less during that time and that is considered “below average”. Syrup produced was Dark/Robust with no off-flavors. Total production had reached 63% as of 4/5.

In Lamoille County, a sugar maker with a relatively warm location reported sap running at “average” rates over the past week and sap sweetness averaged 1.5% over that time. That is considered “Below average” for this operation. Syrup produced over the past week was Very Dark/Strong with no off-flavors detected. Total production has reached 83% of the anticipated total. This producer added this on 4/6:
“ Very dark year. Now at about 80+%, I’m ready to close down. The color is Very Dark, flavor typical, but nearing buddy. Time to call it. April 4 & 5 gave big runs; but now no freezing in sight. It’s over.”
A second Lamoille County sugar maker (in a relatively cold location) reported sap running “very well” over the past week. Sap sweetness has been averaging 1.25% or less, which is considered “significant;y below average” for this operation. Syrup produced over the past week has been Amber/Rich with no off-flavors detected. Total production has reached 66% of the anticipated total. On 4/5 this sugar maker added”
“Sap quality has improved in this last run and making very nice syrup although we are working very hard to get it as the sweetness averaged about 1.25%. Flavor has been very good but making mostly amber and dark which is very unusual for this operation.”
A Franklin County sugar maker reports “average” rates of sap flow over the past week and sap sweetness at 1.25% or less. This is considered “significantly below average” for this operation. Syrup produced over the last week was Amber/Rich color but with a slight Buddy (“Bud Light”) off-flavor. Total production has reached 64% of the anticipated crop. This producer reports that 4/5 was the last boil of the 2021 season.
A second Franklin County sugar maker reported sap running “very well” over the past week and sap sweetness at 1.25% or less. Syrup produced was Amber/Rich color over the past week. On the subject of flavor the sugar maker added: “Last week had some metabolism, some sour, washed everything 2 times flushed lines all day Saturday (4/3). Bakersfield yesterday beautiful flavor – light color, Fairfield came out of a processing and went to a Very Dark/Strong.” Total production has reached 87% of the anticipated crop. On 4/6 this producer added:
“Very weird season. sugar sand yesterday was a ton of it. Froze last night 4/5/2021. running strong.”
In Caledonia County a sugar maker reports “Average” rates of sap flow over the past week. Sap sweetness during that time was 1.25% or less, which is “Significantly below average” for this location. Syrup produced has been Amber/Rich with no off-flavors detected. Total production has reached 72% at this operation. The producer added:
“Sap jumped to 1.5% 4/6. I don’t see the season going past Friday (4/9)”
A second Caledonia County producer reports sap running “very well” over the past week. Sap sweetness has averaged 2% over the same time period, which is considered “below average” for this operation. Syrup produced was Amber/Rich color with “slight metabolism on one day”. Total production had reached 59% of the anticipated total on 4/5. This sugar maker added on 4/5:
“Foam has been a challenge this year, but still using organic defoamer. Tough year production wise, but kind of fun to walk in the woods without snowshoes.”
In Orleans County, a sugar maker reported “average” rates of sap flow over the past week. Sap sweetness was averaging 1.5% (considered “below average” for this operation). Syurp produced over the past week was Dark/Robust with no off-flavors. Total production has reached 49% of the anticipated total as of 4/5. This sugar maker added on 4/5:
“Some big sap runs this week, but sugar content remains low.”
An Essex County sugar maker reports sap flowing “very well” over the past week. Sap sweetness was 1.5% (which is considered “below average”). Syrup produced was Amber/Rich with no off-flavors. Total production has reached 66% of the anticipated total. This sugar maker added on 4/5:
“making darker than usual syrup. sweetness went up this week. started at 1.2 and now is 1.7”
In Quebec (SW of Montreal) a sugar maker reports sap running “very well” over the past week. Sap sweetness was 1.25% or less during that time which is considered “below average” for this location. Syrup produced has been Amber/Rich with no off-flavors. Season long production has reached 66% as of 4/1 and the producer added the following comment about the season:
“weird”
