Harvesting birch sap - advice?

[Baelfore]

Greetings!

I have been poking around this site for months now, and must say the information and ideas on this site are incredible. I have Learned more about bushcraft in a few months surfing the forum than i have in the past 3 years.

I finally felt the need to join the forum on the grounds that for every new Idea, I had 10 new questions!

With that in mind, I would like to thank you in advance for any help with the first on what will probably be many questions.

I was wondering what is the best time to harvest birch sap?

I have daily access to several silver/paper birch trees for the next three weeks and would love to be able to collect some sap while i have the chance.

secondly, i found this tutorial on how to harvest.
http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/w...cting-birch-sap-a-clean-sugar-rich-water.html

Does anyone have any other tips or suggestions on what to do differently?

Lastly, what are the general uses for birch sap beyonf things like wine and syrup?

I think I read somewhere tht in can be used to waterproof stuff... can anyone shed any light on this?

Cheers!

 

[KayakFisherFinland]

Over here it is done early in the spring, few weeks before the leaf buds open.
It is used for the above mentioned stuff and also just for drinking.
The important thing is hygiene.

Select a fairly large tree with a wide top, drill an upward tilting hole with a 10mm (clean) drill to about 3-4cm deep as close to the ground as possible, but high enough to get a collecting dish under. Put a hose between hole and dish, use a dish with a lid. Sap attracts a lot of ants and bugs.

The average amount harvested from a 15cm thick tree is about 2-4ltr/24h as to a 30cm thick tree can give up to a 10-15ltr/24h.

Surrounding temperature should be below +5C

Sap should be keps cold and be processed within 12hrs of collecting, it will go bad way faster than milk.
Boiling and precerving with citric acid is good, but the acid will affect the taste.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Here's a good tutorial, with someone using a sensible bit size. The most important thing is to make sure you have sealed the would once finished. I go back after a few hours to check
as even a well sealed bore hole can start weeping quite heavily. Keep an eye on the tree's March time, start testing with the point of a knife as the buds develop and you see the odd leaf open.

You will clearly see when the sap starts to run.

They all start to draw moisture pretty much the same time, but check different tree's as the sap tastes from slightly moldy to sweet(ish) mineral water. It will ferment
if left more than a few days in the warm. So keep it in the fridge in small volumes, or somewhere cool and dark in larger volume.

Have fun and take in moderation, its a real spring time treat that's been enjoyed for hundreds of years.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54610

 

[sasquatch]

Plus 1 on the sensible sized bit. Every year people buy massive bits and I cringe at the thought of loads of people punching holes in trees to drain them. Read up and take care of the trees and all is well. Happy tapping...

 

[Albus Culter]

Plus make a really good plug and hammer it in well. Green wood will shrink and fall out so be careful.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Lastly, what are the general uses for birch sap beyond things like wine and syrup?

I think I read somewhere that in can be used to waterproof stuff... can anyone shed any light on this?

Cheers!

To address your final two points;
The sap harvested as above can be made into wine, syrup and sweet things as you mention.

The oil, which is harvested by heating the bark (and possibly roots) and collecting the tar which is cooked off - can be and was used as a waterproofing agent.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Niels]

You can also just cut of a twig and hang a bottle on there. Much less chance of harming the tree. It will fill a small bottle overnight. The best time is when the buds are the size of a squirrels toe, according to Ray Mears.

 

[mountainm]

the best time is when the buds are the size of a squirrels toe, according to Ray Mears.

why use SI units as a measure when you can use small mammals and rodents digits...

I personally wait until the buds are slightly bigger than a hedgehogs thumb....

 

[Niels]

why use SI units as a measure when you can use small mammals and rodents digits...

I personally wait until the buds are slightly bigger than a hedgehogs thumb....

You should see the look on faces when they ask you when to tap and you tell them just that. They won't ever take you seriously again!

 

[plastic-ninja]

To make Birch Sap Wine.....
First catch your squirrel
I must try some this year.
Cheers , Simon

 

[Fat ferret]

I tried this once, the result was just clear water. Fairly sweet water but not worth the effort. Was I doing something wrong or what?

I tapped when the buds were about the size of a badgers nostril.

 

[Niels]

I tried this once, the result was just clear water. Fairly sweet water but not worth the effort. Was I doing something wrong or what?

I tapped when the buds were about the size of a badgers nostril.

Well the mildly sweet water is all you get. It's energy, sugar and they say it's cancer healing. Makes good tea or icecubes for liquor

 

[Fat ferret]

Fair enough don't mean to sound ungrateful. It was cool and refreshing at the time. No shortage of trees either.

 

[Niels]

Fair enough don't mean to sound ungrateful. It was cool and refreshing at the time. No shortage of trees either.

You didn't sound ungrateful, happy tapping

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Warmed with a handfull of fresh spring bramble leaves it makes a mighty fine tea.

 

[rik_uk3]

What will you do with the sap? To make a syrup you have to boil/reduce an awful lot to get it, gallons of the stuff so to be honest I don't really see the point, leave the tree alone.

 

[Llwyd]

You need to boil it down to get anything useful out of it. We used to tap 150 maple trees in grand dads sugar woods.

I sent a few of these over to a guy in the UK a few years back for tapping his birch trees. They are all over ebay this time of year. Search for "maple sap spile"

 

[Baelfore]

thanks for all the help guys!

rik_uk3, I am hoping to attempt wine, and syrup if I can get enough, even a tiny drop fo syrup for some pancakes would be a sucess in my eyes. I am not really concerned about damaging these trees, as I was informed by a council worker that they are being cut down for theconstruction of a newfootball pitch in about a month or so. (He also said I could come back and grab some wood from them) but i do appreciate the sentiment of protecting the trees.

The Big Lebowski, thanks that tutorial is great. very instructive. like the idea for tea as well.

Ogri the Trog, THANK YOU!!!! you just saved me exerimenting on (and quite possible ruining) my boots.

mountainm and Niels, for the sake of my dignity I am going to pretend to have some clue as to what those measurments were.

I'll let you all know how I get on in a month of two.

 

[mountainm]

You need to boil it down to get anything useful out of it. We used to tap 150 maple trees in grand dads sugar woods.

I sent a few of these over to a guy in the UK a few years back for tapping his birch trees. They are all over ebay this time of year. Search for "maple sap spile"

I went to the maple syrup museum park near toronto and one of the guys kindly gave me one of those spiles...

 

[Llwyd]

They are a dime a dozen over here. On average there is a 40:1 ratio from sap to syrup so 10 two liter bottles of sap boiled down on a stove or fire will net you 500ml of syrup.

A good producing tree can give up to 4 liters a day if tapped correctly.