Birch Syrup

Birch syrup is similar to maple syrup in that it is tapped from a tree and boiled down to concentrate the sugar. Currently it is harvested only in very small quantities from paper bircch trees in Alaska's boreal forests.

It takes an average of 100 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of birch syrup (maple syrup requires 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup) The sap containsonly 1-1.5% sugar and looks and tastes much like water right out of the tree.

The difference between birch and maple syrups is that the predominant, naturally occurring sugar in birch syrup is fructose, whereas maple which contains primarily sucrose, so it interacts differently in the body. Birch syrup is high in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, manganese, thiamin, and calcium.

The season for tapping Alaska paper birch is when the sap rises in early April. Trees are tapped for two to three weeks, until the trees bud. Tapping the trees does not injure them as it takes only 10-15% of the total sap production of the tree. There is a limit of one tap per tree and each tree is given a two year rest between tappings.

I haven't yet tried birch syrup, but I've read that it has "a rich, spicy-sweet flavor." It is recommended for use in marinades, barbecue sauces, and dressings, baked beans, coffee, baked squash, baked goods, breads, milkshakes, natural sodas and ice cream.

Recipes made with Birch Syrup: