Pure Maple Syrup Brand Survey

Initial Post was deleted. It was a survey that appeared to be an e-mail address gathering tool only. If the poster wishes to discuss it he/she may contact the administrator.
Al-the Mayor-Bowen

BEWARE! I suspect this is strictly a method of collecting e-mail addresses. When I got to the second or third page of the survey, and it asked if I was interested in their newsletter and to confirm my e-mail address so they could send it (and I did not check the box for the newsletter or confirm the e-mail address) it said, "Sorry, our quota is complete."

I expect that this thread will be deleted soon, but my favorite Maple syrup is made by Pearsons in Millbury Mass. The Maple syrup sold in the Massachusetts products section of the Mass Pike C stores is good too. L.L. Bean has somebody doing a good job for them as well.

OK The question itself is interesting...So I will delete the trolling advertising and leave Tmiles and others responses.. There's more than one way to skin a Spammer.
When I lived in "WAYYYY Upstate New York my neighbor tapped about 200 maples each year and boiled out a bunch of Maple syrup. He would seal it up in Generic gallon cans purchased from the Local Agway Co-Op and stick on a label he had printed. It was wonderful stuff. I received a gallon each year as payment for having my 12 large maples included in his 'tapping grove'. Other than maple candy, I don't recall ever buying pure maple products after we left The Oneida County area.

Saw this after it was first posted last night and wondered how long it would take a moderator to can it. Thaks Al.

As for my favorite, I don't pay much attention to brand names, but usually just get the Wegmans real maple sysrup which I believe comes from local upstate NY farms.

Like berndog, I just buy the local stuff.. You drive into the country and alot of stands and farms offer their own maple syrup (along with honey).. Far better then the stuff at the store..

Also, there's times my sister will bring a jug from Vermont, which is pretty good also..

Brands aside, I remember reading (Cooks Illustrated, perhaps?) that a "grade B" Maple syrup will have richer flavor than the "grade A" stuff. I believe that they said that the "A" stuff has better color and appearance, but that the "B" syrup tastes more "mapley" (is that a word?). Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

My daughter-in-law's parents produce maple syrup and sell it along with maple syrup products that they make. If you are going to use maple syrup in cooking and baking, the Grade B is the only one to use. There is not nearly as much "maple" flavor in the higher grades. Although she much prefers the highest grade for table use, my grandchilden are with me in that we like the Grade B for table use, especially on hot cereal.

I guess this makes me a country bumkin at heart but I VERY much prefer the grade B. Taste is everything. But then again I prefer a good rustic house wine in Europe to Mouton. Well at least 90% of the time anyway. Here in the states I'll take the Mouton.

I was not aware of the different grades. I only bought what was available for me here in East Tennessee. Obviously it was not the best but i know one thing for sure. Maple syrup is really good. Amazing that such a wonderful treat came from a tree and required so much work.


The syrup is expensive but I do understand why. My understanding is that it takes a lot of bucket fulls to make a small amount of this wonderful tasty stuff. I think the last i bought was about $8.00 for a eight ounce container.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

Paul, do you have a SAMS membership? I know that they sell pure maple syrup at the one I shop at in Baltimore area and at the one in Daytona area for about $13.00 for a half gallon

quote:

Originally posted by chezkatie

Paul, do you have a SAMS membership? I know that they sell pure maple syrup at the one I shop at in Baltimore area and at the one in Daytona area for about $13.00 for a half gallon

Thanks for the thought. Maply syrup at $13.00 for a half a gallon is a bargain. I do not know how the dudes can produce it at that price.

I do not do much at Sam's as you have to buy in volume. I bought a huge container of Mayo there a few years ago and it became stale pretty quick. I will admit that what they sale is a bargain but I do not consume that much. We are retired and the food consumption is not very much.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I will board the ebay bandwagon once again. In this case it offers us the opportunity to buy from the producer directly. Highly recommended for maple syrup.

Even though we are a large maple syrup-producing area here in far Northeastern NY State, the 1/2 gal of syrup my wife bought at the local Sam's Club (God I hate that place) was a blend of syrups from Quebec and New Brunswick.

I wonder what gives with this as some of the best syrup in the world (Vermonters eat your hearts out!) is produced within 20 miles of Sam's location.

Wally

My most recent trip to the Adirondacks resulted in a half gallon at $25 produced at South Meadow Farms. I also get syrup in Vermont, Maine, PA and MD. I like to get it on trips and see that my money excludes the middleman. I don't mind one bit that I don't get it cheap if it helps support local businesses. Not one cent will go to Costco, Walmart, Sam's, B.J.'s etc....ever.

I agree with RC51Mike. I will never buy anything from a "club store." The very idea of charging customers for the privilege of shopping at a store is hideous. The mendacity of it all!

Great food is like politics, when you boil it down it all becomes local.