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Need recommendations for Pure Maple Syrup, Dark Amber


merstar

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Which brands do you like, and do you prefer A or B? I was using Spring Tree from Canada for years and years, but it's no longer available in my local stores, and hard to find online.

(NOTE: I don't have a TJ's nearby *!$&%*@(*_&!^)

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
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A few years back, when my daughter and her husband moved to New Hampshire for a while, and I drove up through Vermont to visit them, I passed by a small country store selling, among other things, a nice selection of maple syrup, including this sampler: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Food_&_Candy/Food_&_Candy/Tastes_of_Vermont/Maple_Sampler_%28Box_of_Four_1.7_oz._Bottles%29/56749

Because I really love maple syrup, I figured I'd be buying a lot, so decided to buy the sampler and decide which grade I prefer.

For me, it turns out that the darker and more flavorful the better.

You might order the sampler and do a little taste testing yourself.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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A few years back, when my daughter and her husband moved to New Hampshire for a while, and I drove up through Vermont to visit them, I passed by a small country store selling, among other things, a nice selection of maple syrup, including this sampler: http://www.vermontco..._Bottles)/56749

Because I really love maple syrup, I figured I'd be buying a lot, so decided to buy the sampler and decide which grade I prefer.

For me, it turns out that the darker and more flavorful the better.

You might order the sampler and do a little taste testing yourself.

Thanks so much Jaymes! I checked out their website, and ordered their catalog. I'm probably going to go with the Grade B, since I've already tried Grade A Dark Amber, and really like it, so I think I'd like something even darker and bolder. Thanks again for the recommendation and link.

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
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For the price I haven't had anything better than Trader Joe's. It's very basic, and I use it for all recipes calling for maple syrup, such as barbecue sauce, home made ketchup, etc. For all I know it's grade C. It's pretty dark. I love really high quality maple syrup, but the Trader Joe's is fine for my morning oatmeal. In 1979 on a driving jaunt through leaf country in Vermont we came upon The Maple Syrup Museum. There were several bowls and spoons and, believe it or not, NO ONE standing guard. The Grade A fancy, which was the lightest, was heavenly, but so delicate it would be pointless to use it on anything except ethereal pancakes. We came back with a large can from some small farm and doled it out for as long as we could. Never to be repeated.

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There were several bowls and spoons and, believe it or not, NO ONE standing guard. The Grade A fancy, which was the lightest, was heavenly, but so delicate it would be pointless to use it on anything except ethereal pancakes. We came back with a large can from some small farm and doled it out for as long as we could. Never to be repeated.

If you find yourself in NH or VT during March ("Mud Season"), consider checking out the open houses that both states' maple producers put on. You can visit the various sugarhouses, sample syrup, and watch the boil.

5524042362_14f9cde29d.jpg

(Disclaimer: I'm an NH maple producer....)

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This looks amazing. Is the smell as heavenly as I imagine?

Yes. Although you get kinda weary from it after a while.

You sound like a jaded New Englander. I never tired of that annual trip to the sugarhouse for doughnuts, pickles, sugar-on-snow--and my stash of syrup for the year.

As for my preference: I buy all grades, for different purposes.It is not as easy to find Grade A extra fancy anymore, as the preference (and economics) seems to favor B.

and I have to disagree with merstar: In 40 years, I'm not sure I've ever had a "bad" pure maple syrup. Different from state to state, year to year. but never bad.

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I've never heard of "aging" maple syrup. What does that do to the product? Wouldn't the whiskey in the barrel "taint" the flavor of the syrup?

It changes the flavor sure but I wouldn't say "taint." I've bought bottles of BLiS' Bourbon Barrel Syrup (looks like they use Grade A) many times and it is damn good. Mikuni makes one too that's supposed to be good as well.

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...and I have to disagree with merstar: In 40 years, I'm not sure I've ever had a "bad" pure maple syrup. Different from state to state, year to year. but never bad.

You're lucky. I've definitely had some bad maple syrup - very bland.

Edited by merstar (log)
There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
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Another vote here for Trader Joe's Grade B which is reasonably priced and the flavor is excellent.

For cooking, I order the grade B in half-gallon jugs from Welch's - New York state - at 48.00 per gallon, it is priced right for me.

After opening, put some in a smaller container and put the jug in the freezer. It takes a full day to defrost at room temp...

I also order their granulated maple sugar - in the bulk bag, which I split with friends. If you check other vendors, this place has the best price and the stuff keeps forever.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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So yesterday I'm at T.J.'s and instead of routinely grabbing the Grade B in the bottle, which I've used for years, I tried something else: a 32 oz jug of Trader Joe's 100% Vermont maple syrup, grade A Dark Amber. It's very good, a little bit more delicate (and a little bit thinner) than the bottled Grade B, and quite yummy. It is possible that my memory of Maple Syrup from Vermont is completely unreliable (it's only been about 30 years), but from the samples at the museum, I would call TJ's B more like a grade C, and this A Dark Amber more like my recollection of a grade B. There must be some standards, no? The TJ's grade B is from Canada, I think, right? I tossed my empty bottle so I don't really know for sure. Anyway, TJ's seems like a good source for a variety of grades.

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So yesterday I'm at T.J.'s and instead of routinely grabbing the Grade B in the bottle, which I've used for years, I tried something else: a 32 oz jug of Trader Joe's 100% Vermont maple syrup, grade A Dark Amber. It's very good, a little bit more delicate (and a little bit thinner) than the bottled Grade B, and quite yummy. It is possible that my memory of Maple Syrup from Vermont is completely unreliable (it's only been about 30 years), but from the samples at the museum, I would call TJ's B more like a grade C, and this A Dark Amber more like my recollection of a grade B. There must be some standards, no? The TJ's grade B is from Canada, I think, right? I tossed my empty bottle so I don't really know for sure. Anyway, TJ's seems like a good source for a variety of grades.

A few years ago, grading changed from A,B and C to A-Light Amber, A-Dark Amber, and B.

The maple marketing boards wanted to be able to refer to both A and B grades as "A", so it wouldn't turn off uneducated consumers. So, What we now refer to as B grade is the same as C grade prior to the change.

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