Maple syrup was first made by the
Native Americans but, no one really knows when they started doing it. From them the
knowledge was passed on to the new colonials who could then make their own
sugar. Back then, it was a very hard process. As more and more people began producing maple syrup, the
technology of doing so improved gradually. From carrying each
bucket of
sap to a central area for processing on foot to today's
intricate tubing layouts which lets the sap flow to
storage tanks effortlessly.
Going from maple tree sap to maple syrup is a fairly easy process. First, maple trees are tapped (preferably from a species with high sugar content such as the sugar and black maple.) A 7/16 diameter hole is drilled 2.5 to 3 inches deep into the trunk at about 3 or 4 feet above ground level. The tree should be healthy and at least 12 inches in diamater when measured at 4.5 feet above the ground. Tapping is, for the most part, done during the spring when weather conditions are right -- otherwise there won't be any sap flow. Ideal weather conditions are when temperatures at night reach below freezing and during the next day reach above freezing relatively quickly. This will maximize the amount of sap that can be collected.
Once the hole is drilled a spile is inserted which acts like a valve. It keeps the hole unexposed to the outside while allowing the sap to flow into the collection container. Sap can be collected up until the tree starts budding -- sap collected from budding trees does not taste very good. Once the sap has been collected, it's time for processing.
Processing the sap to make it into syrup is really just a matter of applying the correct amount of heat. What is happening is the water is being evaporated from the sap which concentrates the sugars. During this, chemical changes occur which give maple syrup its flavor. The sap is boiled over constant heat until most of the water has been evaporated. As more water evaporates, the temperature at which the syrup boils rises very slowly. It is finished when it boils at 7.1 degrees (farenheit) above the boiling point of water -- which varies at different elevations and climates.
Once the syrup is "finished" at the right temperature, it is filtered to remove any sugar grains or any other imperfections. The finished product, pure maple syrup, is then packaged at about 180 degrees farenheit. It's then ready for consumption.
There is a standard grading system used for maple syrup; Grade 'A' Light Amber, Grade 'A' Medium Amber, Grade 'A' Dark Amber, and Grade B. Grade 'A' Light Amber has a very delicate flavor and is very light (as the name implies.) Grade 'A' Medium Amber is a little darker and has a stronger flavor than Light Amber. Grade 'A' Dark Amber is even darker and, not surprisingly, has an even stronger flavor than Medium Amber. Grade B has the strongest flavor of them all. Each grade usually corresponds with a certain time within the sugaring season (when sap is collected.) Light Amber is usually made when the season is early and still cold, Medium Amber when the season begins to warm a bit at around mid-season, and Dark Amber from when the days become longer and warmer. None are "better" than the others, it's all a matter of personal taste. I suggest you try each kind to see which one you like the most.
If you are buying that stuff that is "Made with 2% real maple syrup!" and the rest is corn syrup with artificial flavoring, etc., please dump it down the sink, now! Run to the local health/whole food store and pick up some organic (if possible), pure maple syrup. There's nothing like it -- it's great stuff. Once you go from the fake stuff to the real stuff you'll want to throw rotten produce at the CEO of the company making the fake stuff for fooling you for so long.