Birch ??? sap.

[gunslinger]

Ok so my question is why birch ? Is that it is the traditional tree to tap ?

Can you in fact tap any tree and drink the sap ??

Presumably if so they would all taste different.
Sorry if this sounds a stupid question but it is genuine.

GS

 

[scrogger]

The ones i know about :- Birch and Sycamore.

I think the Birch has been used for may things throughout history but an interesting question which im sue will be answered by somone more knowledgable that I.

 

[Shewie]

Have a read of this regarding birch GS

http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/lady.htm

 

[Tye Possum]

The ones i know about :- Birch and Sycamore.

What about maple? Come on haven't you ever had maple syrup? Ok so sycamore is in the maple family but that's not what they make maple syrup from right?

 

[T1tch]

What about maple? Come on haven't you ever had maple syrup? Ok so sycamore is in the maple family but that's not what they make maple syrup from right?

Quite correct, but Maples aren't that common in the UK...

 

[gunslinger]

Thanks chaps.

I am surprised not to have a few more answers to this one,so I guess birch and sycamore or maple is about it then.
I would have thought whoever initially came up with the idea of drinking birch sap would have tried a few other trees too,so I wonder why they were discarded,taste bad or even poisonous?

GS

 

[scrogger]

I must admit I did wonder along the same lines as you, I was wondering if the sap from fuit trees eg apple or pear might also be drinkable. Not so sure I will try any others just in case. Still not found a decent Sycamore though to tap. Well the ones I know are in a food supermarket carpark might get a few incredulous looks me thinks.

 

[gregorach]

As far as I am aware, only birch, sycamore and maple produce the copious amounts of rising sap required for tapping (in northern Europe, anyway - according to Ben Law's The Woodland Way). I suspect that the practice didn't start by formulating the idea of drinking sap and then trying different trees - rather, I would expect that people noticed that certain trees would "bleed" copious amounts of sap at certain times of year if damaged, and tried tasting it.

 

[Ex Member - Sidney Bounty]

I have read that Aspen trees were also tapped by natives here in BC Canada for sap but no reference as to why or what it was used for....

 

[gregorach]

Interesting... I know that sapsuckers (specialised woodpeckers) drink from Aspens, but I've also found this statement in The Biology of Maple Sap Flow:

Spring sap production is a relatively rare phenomenon, and occurs in the maples (genus Acer) and just a few others. So, what it is about maple? According to Dr. Mel Tyree (2001) the distribution of sap and gas in maple stems is the critical factor. Species like sugar maple and butternut (Juglans cinerea) that have air-filled fiber cells and water-filled vessels will exude sap. In contrast, species that do not exude sap, such as willow (Salix), aspen (Populus), elm (Ulmus), ash (Fraxinus) and oak (Quercus), have gas-filled vessels and water-filled fibers.

 

[DrSin]

I understand that Walnut sap is also edible but where as you can just drink birch sap I believe that walnut has to be refined into a syrup. Incidentally it takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make just one gallon of maple syrup. That's a lot of condensing.

 

[DrSin]

Just read this.

Source : http://www.farcourt.co.uk/ge/clippings.htm

"Most birches and maples, including our own acer campestre, have edible sap, as do most hickory, lime, juglans (walnut) species, and italian and red alders"

Cheers Rowan

 

[addo]

As far as I am aware, only birch, sycamore and maple produce the copious amounts of rising sap required for tapping (in northern Europe, anyway - according to Ben Law's The Woodland Way). I suspect that the practice didn't start by formulating the idea of drinking sap and then trying different trees - rather, I would expect that people noticed that certain trees would "bleed" copious amounts of sap at certain times of year if damaged, and tried tasting it.

I think this post knocks it on the head. Ive only noticed Sycamore and Birch when working with trees in the early part of the year, in Britain.
Just depends what works well in your corner of the world, and tastes nice
Interested to hear of any others though.

 

[Ex Member - Sidney Bounty]

I will have to find an alder tree now and test that out as we have red alders here localy..

Just read this.

Source : http://www.farcourt.co.uk/ge/clippings.htm

"Most birches and maples, including our own acer campestre, have edible sap, as do most hickory, lime, juglans (walnut) species, and italian and red alders"

Cheers Rowan

 

[traderran]

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