Get to know the basics about syrup

 

Q: How should I store my pure Vermont Syrup and how long does it last?

A: Vermont pure maple syrup has a very long shelf life. Unopened it can be stored for up to a year in a cool, dark area. Once opened, it must be stored in the refrigerator. It can be kept good in the fridge for one year, and can be stored in the freezer indefinitely. Pure maple syrup will not freeze solid.

 

Q: What makes Ackermann Maple Syrup Pure?

A: Ackermann Maple Syrup is 100% pure maple syrup and that means that there are no additives or thickening agents like other maple flavored products. Syrup substitutes are often comprised of high fructose corn syrup flavored with sotolon. We take fresh maple sap straight from the trees in Vermont, boil it down in our sugar shack, and bottle it so you and your family can have pure, natural maple syrup.

 

Q: Where can I buy your syrup?

A: Our syrup can be purchased online through our website, at stores in Massachusetts, or seasonally at local farmers' markets in Massachusetts and Florida. Check out our Markets & Stores page for more info!

 

Q: Other than pancakes, how else can I use maple syrup?

A: There's a reason we use one gallon of syrup per month! We use it on everything. We make our own bbq sauce, use it as a marinade and glaze on pork chops and salmon, in oatmeal, ice cream, yogurt, cocktails, coffee, tea, and in baked goods instead of white and brown sugar. Check out our recipes for more ideas!

 

Q: What is the difference in the grades?

A: Vermont State requires that all producers follow strict grading regulations. There are three grades that we offer, Grade A Golden Delicate, Grade A Amber Rich and Grade A Dark Robust. The different grades do not signify a difference in quality but rather the strength of maple flavor and color. As the grades change, the darkness of the syrup and the maple flavor intensity increases. Grade A Golden Delicate is the lightest of the syrup we offer and has a light, delicate maple flavor. Amber Rich is what we use as the traditional pancake syrup, with the perfect balance of sweetness and maple flavor. Dark Robust (formerly Grade B) is the darkest and strongest syrup we offer, making it ideal for cooking and flavoring other foods.

 

Q: How do you produce different grades from the same trees?

A: Many factors affect the coloration and taste (the two characteristics of the grades) of maple syrup. Temperature and soil moisture affect how much sugar is flowing from storage in the tree’s roots up to the leaf buds. When there is a high sugar content in the sap, we need to boil the sap less to achieve the correct maple syrup density. This results in a light color and maple flavor. When there is less sugar content in the sap, we need to boil the sap much longer and this concentrates the color and intensifies the flavor.

 

Q: How long does it take to make maple syrup?

A: Making maple syrup is almost a year-round process, even though we only boil for a couple of months in early spring. There is a lot of work to prepare the sugar woods for collecting sap. Tubing has to be set up to allow sap to run to a centralized area, taps have to be drilled by hand into each of our 10,000 trees on our property, wood has to be collected, split and stacked for our wood-fired evaporator, and then we boil the sap, and finally bottle the syrup. Depending on the sugar content in the sap it takes an average of 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. At Ackermann Maple Farm we do all of the boiling on a wood-fired evaporator, and the boiling process takes hundreds of hours every spring. Our longest continuous boil on record was 22 straight hours, all done by Ian! Sap usually runs for 6 weeks to 2 months (depending on the weather (freezing at night, and thawing during the day)) and starts around the beginning of March.

 

Returns Policy and Quality Assurance:

 

Ackermann Farms is a two-person operation that prides itself on crafting quality maple syrup. If you notice an inconsistency, have questions or comments, or suggestions for taste improvement, we encourage you to write to us via email at ackermannmaplesyrup@gmail.com

 

If you are for any reason unhappy with your product, send it back to us and we’ll offer you a refund or replacement bottle. Please email us with any returns or issues with our product.