Pure Vermont Maple Syrup must meet strict quality standards and is graded on four characteristics: color, clarity, density, and flavor.
- Maple syrup is measured by hydrometer or refractometer to ensure that the density, or measure of sugar content, is within a narrow band of 66.9° and 68.9° Brix. This is important to keep maple syrup shelf-stable and to prevent sugar crystallization within the liquid syrup.
- To be sold at retail, all Vermont syrup must be clear, meaning there is not excessive mineral haze, a naturally-occurring outcome due to maple syrup’s mineral content.
- Maple syrup is then classified into four distinct color classes: Golden, Amber, Dark, and Very Dark.
- Finally, all syrup is taste-tested to ensure that the flavor meets expectations for maple syrup’s characteristic deliciousness.
Golden Color with Delicate Taste
Usually made at the beginning of the new maple season, this syrup was known once graded as Fancy. Subtle maple flavor is best appreciated when used on pancakes or waffles or paired with rich dairy items like yogurt or vanilla ice cream.Try it over Greek yogurt or for a simple but elegant dessert, simply pour this grade of Vermont syrup over vanilla ice cream.
Amber Color with Rich Taste
Usually made about mid-season and often seems to be the most popular for all-around use.Full of characteristic maple flavor, this syrup is equally as good over waffles as it is in salad dressings, co*cktails, or in a maple-sweetened barbecue sauce. If you're only going to have one grade of Vermont maple syrup in your kitchen, make it Amber Color with Rich Taste.
Dark Color with Robust Taste
As the maple season progresses, the syrup darkens in color and develops a more robust maple flavor. Good for all around use, its hearty flavor is a great choice for all kinds of recipes. Pour over baked apples or squash, use as a glaze for meats and vegetables, or sweeten baked goods. This grade pairs well with smoky and spicy flavors like chipotle peppers, sriracha, or bourbon.
Very Dark Color with Strong Taste
Produced at the end of the season, it’s perfect for cooking and baking. When you need a strong maple flavor in a bread or cookie, ice cream, or barbecue sauce, this is the grade of choice.
Storage Tips: Always refrigerate after opening. To preserve maple’s fresh flavor and prevent crystallization, it can be frozen. Freeze and thaw any number of times, just thaw completely, mixing in any condensation on the top before use.
If your maple syrup develops mold, stop consuming it and dispose of the contents and container properly.
FAQs
In actuality, grade B is equal in quality to grade A.
What are the three grades of maple syrup? ›
The four grades of maple syrup are golden, amber, dark and very dark.
Is there grade C maple syrup? ›
You can easily replace honey or refined sugars with maple. Super sweet! Dark robust taste (grade C) is ideal for cooking and baking.
Which grade maple syrup is healthiest? ›
What grade maple syrup is healthiest? Whether it's for use in a master cleanse or as a topping for your pancakes, Grade A Dark will be better for you. It has more antioxidants and mineral content than the lighter colors.
Is Costco maple syrup grade A? ›
Costco only sells Grade A amber syrup. Buyers looking for a light or robust taste will not find Grade A golden or dark at a Costco. Costco maple syrup also has maple syrup as its sole ingredient – making it 100% organic.
What grade of maple syrup is best for pancakes? ›
From pure maple syrup to infused maple syrups, there is a spectrum of flavor that will electrify your plate and palate.
- Grade A Golden Delicate — Crepes. ...
- Grade A Amber Rich — Buttermilk Pancakes. ...
- Grade A Dark Robust — Japanese Souffle Pancakes. ...
- Sweet Heat — Savory Cheddar. ...
- Sweet Chai — Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes.
Vermont's climate, with its cold winters and warm spring days, creates the perfect conditions for maple trees to produce sap. The state's rolling hills and dense forests are dotted with sugar maple trees, making it an ideal location for tapping and collecting sap.
Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated? ›
Maple syrup should be kept in the refrigerator once it's opened so as to discourage mold from growing on the syrup. Should mold grow on maple syrup, it's safe and easy to remove. Just scoop the mold off the top of the syrup with a spoon and discard the mold.
Does maple syrup go bad? ›
Does Maple Syrup Go Bad? As it turns out, maple syrup does have a shelf life once opened, and mold is not as uncommon as we thought. StillTasty.com indicates that 100 percent pure maple syrup should keep for a year unopened in the pantry, a year opened in the refrigerator, and indefinitely in the freezer.
Can you still get Grade B maple syrup? ›
For a lot of maple syrup connoisseurs, grade B was always the go-to syrup. It's dark, caramelly, rich, complex. But unfortunately, you can't get it anymore. To understand why, we have to look at the science behind the whole process, from sap to syrup.
Description. Once pierced, century-old maple trees drip sap referred to as liquid gold. It will take roughly 50 gallons of these drops to make one 1 gallon of 100% pure Grade A maple syrup. Farms in the Hudson Valley, New York State, can sell that gallon for over $200, almost 29 times more than popular imitation syrup.
What grade is Vermont maple syrup? ›
Color is the primary factor when grading Vermont maple syrup, and the grade is determined by the percent light transmission: 'Golden' syrup has a light transmission 75% or above. 'Amber' syrup has a light transmission of between 50% and 74.9% 'Dark' syrup has a light transmission of between 25% and 49.9%
Is maple syrup healthier than honey? ›
For example, maple syrup is lower in calories than honey, and therefore may be the better choice for someone looking to lose weight. Pure maple syrup also has fewer carbohydrates and is lower on the glycaemic index than honey, which may make it healthier for certain diets.
How can you tell if maple syrup is high quality? ›
The easiest way to tell whether that maple-flavored syrup is legit is to read the label. Genuine maple syrup is purely made from maple sap that's been boiled down until it reaches a syrupy consistency, and therefore will only have that lone listed ingredient.
Which grade of maple syrup is the sweetest? ›
GOLDEN | DELICATE
'Light' or less maple flavor than other classes, often perceived as sweeter than the other grades because it lacks the strong flavor profile. Golden Delicate Maple Syrup is excellent over ice cream, crepes, and other foods that allow its subtle flavor to be appreciated.
Which is better, amber or dark maple syrup? ›
The key difference between the two is Amber is a little lighter than Dark maple syrup, having a less pronounced maple flavor. So if you're aiming to have more maple flavor show through in your recipes, you should utilize Dark maple syrup over Amber.
What is grade 1 maple syrup? ›
Old Maple Syrup Grading Systems
| Percentage of Light Transmission | Current Official Maple Syrup Grades |
|---|
| more than 75 | Grade A – Golden Colour and Delicate Taste |
| 75 to 50 | Grade A – Amber Colour and Rich Taste |
| 50 to 25 | Grade A – Dark Colour and Robust Taste |
| less than 25 | Grade A – Very Dark Colour and Strong Taste |
1 more rowGrade A pure maple syrup is a suitable option for the Master Cleanse, as is any pure maple syrup. However, subsisting on the Master Cleanse beverage -- which, along with the syrup, contains just water, lemon juice and cayenne pepper -- is not a healthy way to lose weight as it deprives you of important nutrients.
Golden Color with Delicate Taste
Amber Color with Rich Taste
Dark Color with Robust Taste
Very Dark Color with Strong Taste