Birch Sap - why is it yellow??

[woodwalker]

I tapped my first ever tree today at about 4pm and have just been back to look. My container has filled up dramatically, but the bottom third of the liquid is a yellowy colour whereas the top two thirds are clear. I assume some sort of settling has taken place here, maybe of sugar or something.

Please enlighten me!

woodwalker

 

[bushtank]

i think perhaps someone has been caught short and used it as a loo
only joking not sure mate as only tapped a few myself and not had this at all

 

[torjusg]

Always had clear liquid myself. It may be as Thomas suggests, that it indeed contains a portion of "human sap".

Or maybe what you tapped was a yellow birch?

 

[Ahjno]

Yellow birch sap is completely normal:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=11763



Proof of the knowing is in the tasting, be a wee (pun intended) carefull, just in case someone ...

 

[woodwalker]

i think perhaps someone has been caught short and used it as a loo
only joking not sure mate as only tapped a few myself and not had this at all

What, so you're not supposed to pee in the bottle first??

Cheers for the quick responses guys, it should be done by the morning.

woodwalker

 

[woodwalker]

Have just gone outside and emptied the bottle - in four hours I've got enough to fill a regular waterbottle half full - it is urine colour throughout now, as shaking it redistributed the yellow

Am not to sure on the taste though, but I suppose its an aquired taste - tastes very very sweet though.

woodwalker

 

[Singeblister]

I tapped two the other day same type of tree about 8ft away from each other and we didn't leave the area so no one took a leak in my bottles , anyway one was clear as water and the other bottle had a yellow tinge to it , tasted ok but wasn't sweet. oh yes they were my first

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I suppose I could tap a tree then add it to my smoothies ?

Nick

 

[woodwalker]

Hi all,
I collected half a litre over night, and plugged the tree after that. I emptied my collection bucket twice though, the first time it was yellow and sickly sweet (sweet might be the wrong word, but it tasted like the kind of sweetness they add to some medicine), but the second filling was perfectly clear, and had little taste at all (although it did quench my thirst). I am going to look into what you can do with the sap like wine, syrup etc.

For a funnel out of the tree, I used a dead twig of ash with the soft pith scraped out of the middle. This worked suprisingly well, shame it was my friend's idea though

cheers,

woodwalker

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

RM uses a cloth cover for the sap to hit then filter thru. Maybe that's how he gets very clear sap ?

What about making a tea form the sap ?

Nick

 

[Butchd]

RM states that the cloth is to stop bits falling into it.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I thought it may filter out the particles that make the yellow ?

Nick

 

[BMFHL]

Anyone try making syrup from it? I read elsewhere that you have to reduce it down to 10 percent to get syrup, but I had to reduce it to about 1 or at most 2 percent to get anything like a syrup. It's also not that tasty, at least I don't really care for it. I reckon a less condensed drink is probably the best way to get the sugars without compromising the taste. It's not too bad at all when in a watery solution, quite refreshing. Or you could just drink litres of the raw sap.

Thoughts?

 

[Matt Weir]

I have just retrieved my collected sap, tapped from the birch on my allotment and it too has a slight yellow tinge. The taste is hard to describe but definitely not sweet. The closest thing I could make a comparison is a poor mans coconut milk.

 

[spamel]

if it's yellow, try washing your tango bottles out properly first!!

 

[woodwalker]

Yeah, I think sweet was probably the wrong word of mine to use. At least I know what tasted like...

For all those who don't, I would recommend tapping a tree anyway, its good fun and apparently you can make wine.

woodwalker

 

[Matt Weir]

Yeah, I think sweet was probably the wrong word of mine to use. At least I know what tasted like...

For all those who don't, I would recommend tapping a tree anyway, its good fun and apparently you can make wine.

woodwalker

Making wine was the idea for me but I didn't collect enough sap despite leaving the tap in overnight and only managed aroung 1/2 pint. I'm not sure why but could have been for a number of reasons; the birch I tapped is getting on as it's a big old boy and the main trunk is a bit gnarled; I tapped the tree too high up on the trunk (I tapped at arount 4 feet up); I tapped too deep/not deep enough (it was about 3/4 inch)?

I'm not sure what went wrong but will work it out over time with experience.

I did take some pics...

The tap...

Into the container...

Closeup on the container...

This much within around 30 minutes but the flow must have dried somewhat as the end result was around double this overnight and most of the following day...

 

[Halfdevil333]

Making wine was the idea for me but I didn't collect enough sap despite leaving the tap in overnight and only managed aroung 1/2 pint. I'm not sure why but could have been for a number of reasons; the birch I tapped is getting on as it's a big old boy and the main trunk is a bit gnarled; I tapped the tree too high up on the trunk (I tapped at arount 4 feet up); I tapped too deep/not deep enough (it was about 3/4 inch)?

I'm not sure what went wrong but will work it out over time with experience.

I did take some pics...

The tap...

Into the container...

Closeup on the container...

This much within around 30 minutes but the flow must have dried somewhat as the end result was around double this overnight and most of the following day...

Matt where the hose goes into your bottle looks as if it was a good fit?

If it is then this may be your problem as you fill the bottle you need to displace some air from within the bottle.So if you dont have any vent holes then the resulting back pressure will slow your flow right down or even stop it.

Now im not saying this is your problem but it could be.

Hope this helps
Scott

 

[Matt Weir]

Hi Scott,

No mate, it isn't air tight at all there's a couple of millimetres gap around the tube where it enters the lid but I know what your saying.

 

[andy_bell]

I just found this on a different forum and thought of your yellow sap,

a cautionary warning to us all.

Freddy Bloggs, a friend of mine
Once went to make some Birch Sap Wine.
So, off he went with brace and bucket,
And took his bit and firmly stuck it
Into the bottom of a tree
Until the sap flowed steadily.
Now, he had intended there to stay,
But a call of nature came his way,
And while he nipped off behind a log,
Up came a great big husky dog.
I'd like to say it went straight by,
But no, I cannot tell a lie.
I'll tell you everything I knows-
The level in the bucket rose.

Back came Freddy, much relieved,
A gallon already? He hardly believed,
But there it was, so home he went
And added yeast and nutrient.

At last the finished wine was ready,
And, eager for some praise, our Freddy
Gave some to yours truly for advice.
I used a rude word and used it twice!
But one judge I know - you know him too,
He likes a very spicy brew.
I heard his comment, " Ah, very fine,
That tastes like an Alsatian wine."