Birch Sap

[HEAD OR NOTHING]

I,ve read that u can tap Birch trees for sap or syrup but was wondering how big the hole need to be

How to do it

It the sap still there

Thanks a lot

[Poacher]

I,ve read that u can tap Birch trees for sap or syrup but was wondering how big the hole need to be

How to do it

It the sap still there

Thanks a lot

 

Been watching any Ray Mears by any chance ? Not sure what the hole size needs to be but the hole he bored looked to be about 1cm diameter....remember to effectively plug it once finished !

What are you planning to do with it anyway

[new to the flock]

Read here;

 

http://www.alaskabirchsyrup.com/abbisy.html

 

and here;

 

http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/LifeIn...es-Tapping.html

 

and here;

 

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request133.asp

 

and here;

 

http://www.cybis.se/craft/birch/tappninge.htm

 

and here;

 

http://www.controverscial.com/Birch.htm

[faff]

you don't have to bore a hole in the tree you can stick a knife in and add a bit of stick as a tap. you can only do it this time of year while the sap is rising.

[Boston]

This is really interesting, we have silver birch all over the place here. Has any body tried this before? I guess I must have missed Ray Mears when he was explaining this.

Would be interested in your results and what you did with the sap.

[Gonna Shoot a Wabbit]

have been making birch sap wine for the last 4 yrs. dead eye duck is addicted to it!!! method i used to start with was from c.j.j.berry first steps in winemaking book that included orange, lemon,zest grape concentrate in the must. however wine turned out a little like sherry. the following year omitted the citrus fruit and grape concentrate just used birch sap, a little citric acid and sugar which resulted in much lighter and palletable wine akin to new to the flocks recipe for birch sap wine. will try to describe fully method for collecting silver birch sap.I started out with 5 1 gallon mineral water containers(cost a couple of quid from supermarket). drill 3/4 inch hole in lids. Aquire length of 3/4 inch external diameter length of poly tube. cut 1 foot length and fit to container lid. i found it made a good seal on lid if end of poly tube was soaked in boiling water to soften pass through lid then as pipe cools it forms a tight seal. chemically sterilise all containers and pipes with (chempro, bruclens) prior to use. once sap is rising you are ready to tap birch trees. i wait until buds appear on branches to indicate sap is rising, in around a weeks time in this neck of the woods. then into the woods we go. only tap trees 10" in diameter.

using 3/4 inch drill bit drill at 45 degree downward angle hole just below bark. i take a flask of boiling water into woods to soften poly pipe before fitting to tree thus ensuring as pipe cools a tight seal on tree. when poly pipe fitted to tree allow 2 days for sap to collect then bring home and away you go according to recipe. i use 5 1 gallon containers as sap flow is a little hit and miss usually get between 3 - 4 gallons collectively. i use a plug of soft clay to seal holes in trees after tapping, i originally started using tapered bungs to seal holes in bark but found they fell out when bark expands in summer heat. clay plug stays in place through summer and allows tree to recover from tapping.

is alot of work to collect sap but well worth the effort have a go you will not be disappointed!!

[lord_seagrave]

What's your location GSAW?

 

Regards,

 

LS

[pavman]

Read here;

 

http://www.alaskabirchsyrup.com/abbisy.html

 

and here;

 

http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/LifeIn...es-Tapping.html

 

and here;

 

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request133.asp

 

and here;

 

http://www.cybis.se/craft/birch/tappninge.htm

 

and here;

 

http://www.controverscial.com/Birch.htm

 

What a surprise NTTF knows how to make wine out of anything

[Highlander]

I LURVE maple syrup and have long thought about making some birch sap syrup but at 100 gallons of sap to 1 of syrup I ain't that patient!

 

NTTF is the original 'good lifer'

[Gonna Shoot a Wabbit]

What's your location GSAW?

 

Regards,

 

LS

Am in cheshire

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

have been making birch sap wine for the last 4 yrs. dead eye duck is addicted to it!!! method i used to start with was from c.j.j.berry first steps in winemaking book that included orange, lemon,zest grape concentrate in the must. however wine turned out a little like sherry. the following year omitted the citrus fruit and grape concentrate just used birch sap, a little citric acid and sugar which resulted in much lighter and palletable wine akin to new to the flocks recipe for birch sap wine. will try to describe fully method for collecting silver birch sap.I started out with 5 1 gallon mineral water containers(cost a couple of quid from supermarket). drill 3/4 inch hole in lids. Aquire length of 3/4 inch external diameter length of poly tube. cut 1 foot length and fit to container lid. i found it made a good seal on lid if end of poly tube was soaked in boiling water to soften pass through lid then as pipe cools it forms a tight seal. chemically sterilise all containers and pipes with (chempro, bruclens) prior to use. once sap is rising you are ready to tap birch trees. i wait until buds appear on branches to indicate sap is rising, in around a weeks time in this neck of the woods. then into the woods we go. only tap trees 10" in diameter.

using 3/4 inch drill bit drill at 45 degree downward angle hole just below bark. i take a flask of boiling water into woods to soften poly pipe before fitting to tree thus ensuring as pipe cools a tight seal on tree. when poly pipe fitted to tree allow 2 days for sap to collect then bring home and away you go according to recipe. i use 5 1 gallon containers as sap flow is a little hit and miss usually get between 3 - 4 gallons collectively. i use a plug of soft clay to seal holes in trees after tapping, i originally started using tapered bungs to seal holes in bark but found they fell out when bark expands in summer heat. clay plug stays in place through summer and allows tree to recover from tapping.

is alot of work to collect sap but well worth the effort have a go you will not be disappointed!!

Don't believe a bloody word of it!

 

Yes the birch sap wine that Wabbit makes is, well, OK BUT I've not seen any for years.

 

Tighter than a ducks wotsit

 

Don

[Gonna Shoot a Wabbit]

HA HA if you are so indifferent re the quality you will not be wanting any of this years batch???