Mouldy Maple Syrup Mistakes — Unpackaged (2024)

FAQs

Mouldy Maple Syrup Mistakes — Unpackaged? ›

The mould is non-toxic. This means you don't need to throw away your mouldy Maple Syrup. Simply skim off the mould and then put your Maple Syrup into a saucepan. Heat it to boiling, skim off any other floaties/mould and then allow it to cool again.

Moldy maple syrup can often be salvaged with some deterioration in flavor by bringing it to a boil in a pot and skimming off the mold. The boiling will make all the mold float to the top and the heat will improve the flavor. Taste test before using.

Just scoop the mold off the top of the syrup with a spoon and discard the mold. Another way of removing the mold is to strain the maple syrup into a clean container through a piece of cheesecloth.

In order to prevent mold from growing in your maple syrup, open bottles should be kept in the fridge for up to a year, or in the freezer indefinitely. Unopened bottles, however, can be kept in the pantry for up to a year.

Because mold can be subtle in its early stages of growth, it can be easily missed, so it's good to make a habit of glancing at the surface before agitating the bottle or using the syrup. An off smell can be quickly identified in syrup that's gone bad. It will smell sour, musty, or even chocolatey.

White bubbles are air bubbles that can appear if syrup has been shaken, often during transport. The bubbles are completely safe and there is no reason for concern. The bubbles will disappear over time but it can take a while depending on how vigorously the bottles were shaken.

Once opened, does maple syrup need to be refrigerated if it's the pure variety? Yes, because it's a natural product with no preservatives and can spoil or grow mold. If your syrup is not hot-packed, store it in the fridge (even if it's unopened) and plan to consume it quickly.

You can filter using cheesecloth or coffee filters, but If you are considering making maple syrup in future years, we recommend using a reusable filter material called “orlon”.

Can you stop in the middle of boiling maple sap, then start up again? Yes, since it typically requires long periods of time to boil down sap, it is quite common to boil the sap for several hours one day, then cover the sap or put it into a refrigerated environment overnight, and then continue boiling the next day.

That is, we hang the filters and pour hot syrup through them. In our process, we actually filter our product 4 times, twice for the sap and twice for the syrup: First: We collect our sap in buckets on the trees, as has been done for many years.

What happens if you don't refrigerate maple syrup after opening? ›

Warm, dark conditions are an ideal place to allow mold and other not-so-pleasant microorganisms to grow—so storing an opened container of maple syrup in your cupboard is an invitation for a science experiment no one will really enjoy—and one that could make you sick.

The answer is: Yes, absolutely you can reboil maple syrup to make it thicker.

Raw sap cannot be boiled too hard. It's science. Evaporation is a cooling process. The hotter you attempt to get the sap, the faster it evaporates, thus cooling it down.

maple syrup off-flavors

Musty: syrup tastes yeasty or moldy, and has a moldy odor. Usually this happens when syrup is stored in an unsealed container or run through moldy filters. Ferment: fermented may be honey-like, alcoholic or fruity to the taste, and often will have a foam at the top.

As it turns out, maple syrup does have a shelf life once opened, and mold is not as uncommon as we thought. StillTasty.com indicates that 100 percent pure maple syrup should keep for a year unopened in the pantry, a year opened in the refrigerator, and indefinitely in the freezer.

Maple syrup can go bad, though this only tends to occur after the bottle has been opened. A sealed bottle of pure maple syrup, stored properly in an airtight glass container, will last several years, while an opened bottle can stay in the fridge for between six months and a year.

All syrup should be stored in a consistently cool environment. Refrigerating or freezing maple syrup slows or prevents potential mould growth. Instructions to "Refrigerate/Freeze after Opening" should appear on the labels of consumer containers of hot packed maple syrup.

Often even sap that has soured will still make good syrup, just less of it than had you boiled when fresh and it will be darker. Unless you burn it, the sugar does not get bad, it's just that micro-organisms feed on it and you get less sugar from it.

Next time you make syrup, add a ½ teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of sugar water to prevent mold growing inside feeders. The bees love it, and it does not harm them. Or add 1 teaspoon per quart of Pro Health– a feeding stimulant comprised of lemon grass and spearmint.

To prevent spoilage, maple syrup should be stored in a cool, dark location such as a cupboard, refrigerator, or freezer. In this manner, maple syrup can be safely kept for a year or more. Upon opening, store your syrup container in the freezer or refrigerator, consume within a year from the date of opening.