I ended up with just under a half gallon this go around. Here is the yield for this weekend.
weβll give it a go this coming weekend again.
Commercially produced syrup should last basically forever. The conditions under which itβs produced/bottled + their care will do that. The time this stuff is boiled will kill anything in there. Due to the sugar content, bottles must be sterilized before they are used. Clearly there are exceptions, but itβs like canning- itβs done to preserve food βforeverβ.
Even home stuff should, but care of production isnβt nearly the same as something that has to follow regulations
There is only one time to tap: end of winter. Specifically when the days are above freezing and the nights are below. Itβs a window of about a month. Depending on weather, late February to early April.
This year I tapped trees early March and this coming weekend will be my last batch. This winter was weird. It was cold until early March and then we had an odd warm snap mid-month. It was unseasonably warm (ski season came to a very abrupt halt), highs in Vermont in the mid 60s and most of that time it never froze. This coming week is supposed to be more normal.