How to Make Maple Syrup at Home: Boiling and Finishing
How to make maple syrup at home: storing sap, boiling down, finishing at 7.1 degrees F above boiling water, filtering and canning, from extension guidance.
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Keep sap cold, boil it down outdoors in a wide pan, finish it at 7.1 degrees F above the boiling point of water (66 to 69 percent sugar), filter it hot and pour it into sterilized jars. Expect 10 to 15 gallons of sap per quart of syrup, per University of Maine Extension.
Steps
- Store sap cold and boil as soon as you can.
- Boil outdoors in an evaporator pan; add sap as the level drops.
- Move the near-syrup to a smaller pot to finish where you can watch it.
- Find today's boiling point of water with your thermometer.
- Finish at 7.1 degrees F above that, or check with a hydrometer or refractometer.
- Filter hot through wool or Orlon.
- Pour into sterilized canning jars.
Numbers
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sap per quart of syrup | 10 to 15 gal | University of Maine |
| Sap per gallon at 2 Brix | 43.2 gal | Revised Jones Rule, Utah State |
| Finished syrup | 66 to 69% sugar | University of Maine |
| Finishing temperature | 7.1 F above boiling water | University of Maine |
The boiling point of water changes with elevation and barometric pressure, so measure it each boiling day. Calculator: maple syrup calculator. Gear: evaporator pans, tapping kits. Tapping: how to tap maple trees.
Frequently asked questions
At what temperature is maple syrup done?
7.1 degrees F above the boiling point of water, per University of Maine Extension.
How much sap makes a quart of syrup?
10 to 15 gallons, per University of Maine Extension. That works out to 40 to 60 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup.
How long can you store maple sap?
Keep it cold and boil as soon as you can; University of Maine warns against leaving sap in buckets in warm weather.
Why filter maple syrup?
To remove sugar sand and debris; University of Maine lists wool or Orlon filters.
Can I boil sap on my kitchen stove?
Only small amounts: boiling off gallons of water fills a kitchen with steam. Boil outside and finish indoors.
Sources
- Bulletin #7036, How to Tap Maple Trees and Make Maple Syrup, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Maple Sap Collection and Sap Processing Systems (Utah Forest Facts 044), Utah State University Extension
Related guides
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Best Maple Tree Tapping Kits for Beginners (2026)
5/16 inch spouts, drops and filters to tap your first maples.
How to Tap Maple Trees: Size, Timing and Drilling
Which maples to tap, when, how deep, and how many taps per tree.