{"id":1720,"date":"2014-04-20T08:14:54","date_gmt":"2014-04-20T12:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/?p=1720"},"modified":"2014-04-20T08:14:54","modified_gmt":"2014-04-20T12:14:54","slug":"sap-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2014\/04\/sap-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Sap Season\u2019s End: Beer, Turkey, Ethical Eating, and Easter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sap Season<\/b><\/p>\n

A couple weeks ago when the weather here briefly warmed up we chatted a bit with our neighbors about tapping a couple of their sugar maple trees.<\/p>\n

I had dreams. \u00a0Not dreams\u00a0of maple syrup, but of sap beer.<\/p>\n

\"maple <\/p>\n

They kindly agreed and so using taps (spiles as they are called\u2014maybe you\u2019ve read Catching Fire<\/i><\/a>?) that a friend had lent us the boys and I trotted next door on the first (and so far only) perfect day of Spring.<\/p>\n

\"maple <\/a><\/p>\n

We tapped one tree in two places and a second tree in one place.\u00a0 The first two days were when we got the most sap, close to half a gallon from the three taps.<\/p>\n

\"maple <\/a> It soon became apparent that we were losing large amounts of sap from around the spiles as I must have done a poor job drilling the holes and pounding them in.\u00a0 It seems however that once you\u2019ve made your hole there\u2019s not much you can do to fix it and drilling a new hole means leaving a large leaking hole in the tree.<\/p>\n

Everything I read on the internet about how to remedy the situation basically boiled down to this advice: do it right next time.\u00a0 Okay, fine, but you do know that next time is a year from now, right internet advisors?\u00a0 Yes, they do probably know that. \u00a0In the end we never got much more than our original half gallon of sap.<\/p>\n

Soon after beginning the process the local ants living at the base of the tree woke up and decided to start helping themselves to our minimal drippings. \u00a0Ah well, I thought, this was still a cool, fun, and educational activity for my young assistants and me.\u00a0 But my dream of having 6-7 gallons of sap with which to make an all sap beer was likely coming to an end.\u00a0 I\u2019ll come back to just what a \u201csap beer\u201d is in a little while, but first a bit of a diversion.<\/p>\n

An Easter Turkey and a Short Reflection on Ethical Eating<\/b><\/p>\n

The sap beer dream was put on hold until my friend Jacob told me he wanted us to cook a turkey together for Easter.<\/p>\n

Okay, this story is getting to be a bit convoluted. \u00a0First sap, now turkey? \u00a0And wait, isn’t the Local Kitchener a vegetarian blog? \u00a0Well, not exactly. \u00a0Let\u2019s back up a bit more.<\/p>\n

Yes, this blog is primarily vegetarian, because my family eats mostly a primarily vegetarian diet.\u00a0 But we do eat meat. \u00a0Just not every day, more like once or twice a week. \u00a0No, we do not call ourselves \u201cflexitarians\u201d because that term sounds kind of silly to us, and is uninformative.\u00a0 We just say that we eat mostly vegetarian and occasionally eat meat.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve just learned that some people who eat this way call themselves Ethical Omnivores.\u00a0 I guess we fit the definition, although we are unlikely to label ourselves.<\/p>\n

Ethical Omnivores could also simply be called Responsible Eaters.\u00a0 They care about where their food comes from and the impact that their eating has on the lives of other creatures, the environment, their community, and the planet.\u00a0 Here is a definition from Go-EO<\/a>, a website devoted to promoting this way of eating:<\/p>\n

ethical omnivore\u00a0(e-thi-k\u0259l \u00e4m-ni-vor) : an individual committed to reducing consumption of meat and dairy products and who only consumes these products when they originate from animals fed an antibiotic- and hormone- free diet raised on non-factory farms committed to the most sustainable and humane farming practices.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Notice that the first point in that definition isn\u2019t even about the meat, but the reduction of the amount of meat eaten!\u00a0 This has always been our family\u2019s main goal in eating a mainly vegetarian diet.\u00a0 If you do a bit of easy internet research you will find that the production of meat requires vast amounts more water <\/a>and resources<\/a> than the production of plant-based foods.\u00a0 I for one am happy to know that my eating habits are not promoting the conversion of forest to corn and soybean factory farms, but anyways, no need to be preachy…. \u00a0If you eat meat every day then maybe just ask yourself what you\u2019re meat dollars are supporting.<\/p>\n

The farms we buy our meat from raise their animals on pasture or in the case of the turkey, grow their own GMO-free crops to feed their animals.\u00a0 It is in their interest to preserve the quality of their land, keeping portions of it forested while other parts are for growing crops, to ensure that their land and animals stay healthy and their farms and lifestyles are sustainable. We buy our turkey from Snyder Heritage Farm, a fifth generation farm, just a few minutes outside of Waterloo that raises turkeys and also has a large maple syrup operation.<\/p>\n

Sap for Beer?<\/b><\/p>\n

Since our own maple tapping adventure had resulted in so little sap I was trying to figure out how I could get some more.\u00a0 When Jacob asked me about cooking, well, actually, deep-frying a turkey for Easter (which it turns out is an excellent way to cook a Turkey, and no, this doesn\u2019t happen if you are intelligent<\/a>) I sent an email to the Snyders asking if they had any birds and then adding as an afterthought a request for sap. I got an email back saying to give a call soon because the sap was nearing the end of its flow.\u00a0 Kevin Snyder invited me out that Saturday to come pick up my bird and get a bit of sap.\u00a0 In exchange for the sap I told him I\u2019d bring him some of the beer once it was done.\u00a0 \u201cWell, let\u2019s just see how it goes,\u201d he told me, seeming both skeptical and intrigued.<\/p>\n

Clearly I was intrigued by the idea as well, and that idea is to make a beer with an alternative water source, in this case, sap.\u00a0 Normally beer is made by steeping malted barley in hot water at specified temperatures (usually around 152 \u25e6<\/sup>F) for an hour, then straining the sweetened liquid (wort) and rinsing it with more hot water to extract as much sugars possible, like steeping a bag of tea in two cups.\u00a0 This hot, sweet wort is then brought to a boil, hops are added for bitterness, flavor, and aroma, the wort is cooled, and yeast is added.\u00a0 The wort ferments for 1-2 weeks, after which it is bottled or kegged.<\/p>\n

Growing up in Olympia, Washington, I was vaguely aware of water\u2019s important role in beer production thanks to the Olympia Brewery\u2019s slogan of \u201cIt\u2019s the Water.\u201d\u00a0 It turns out that the water that was available in Olympia was perfect for making the crisp lagers that appealed to most Americans at that time (oh yeah, and still).<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

That water is a very soft water, low in mineral content, which is perfect for making the beer that Olympia was famous for\u2026 until they went out of business.\u00a0 Anyways, compared to our water here in Southern Ontario it\u2019s the opposite; our water is bursting with minerals (I definitely miss the delicious water from home!).<\/p>\n

Now, when I found some information on the internet about making sap beer<\/a>, I not only learned that it was once common in Vermont, but also that its mineral content is somewhat similar to that of soft water.\u00a0 While containing a number of minerals, they are all in very low quantities. I entered the mineral content on a brewing website<\/a> that helps brewers figure out what style of beer their water is best for.\u00a0 The online software on that site told me it would be best for an amber, malty beer.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmber and malty,\u201d I thought to myself as visions of Scotch Ale floated into my mind, the rich caramel and toffee aromas filling my nose, hints of smokiness lurking in there, making my mouth water.\u00a0 Yes, this would be a delicious, malty, amber Scotch Ale, with extra hints of maple syrup.\u00a0 This would be a strong ale, around 7-8% thanks to the extra sugars imparted from the sap, which is about 2% sugar, and hey, I\u2019d probably throw in some extra maple syrup at some point in the fermentation too!<\/p>\n

The Sugar House<\/b><\/p>\n

Last weekend I drove out to the Snyder\u2019s farm and found their sugar house (definitely not a sugar shack!).\u00a0 It was a very nice and new wooden building with a small amount of steam coming out of a smokestack at the top.<\/p>\n

Kevin saw me coming and met me at the large door which was open.\u00a0 Inside one person was measuring the sugar content of the finishing syrup with a refractometer, while the massive machine was clearly doing the bulk of the work of boiling off the water with the goal of taking the sap to a concentration of about 67% sugar.<\/p>\n

Kevin and I talked about their sugar bush, where the sugar maple trees grow.\u00a0 He said that they usually only tap each tree once, whereas some farms tap 2-3 times on each tree.\u00a0 They also work hard to keep their whole stand of trees healthy by removing unhealthy trees and keeping the trees appropriately spaced to ensure maximum production. Sap is collected with a vacuum tubing system attached to the trees, collecting at a central point.\u00a0 It is then brought back to the sugar house in a large stainless steel vessel pulled by a tractor. \"sugar <\/a> At the sugar house it goes through reverse osmosis, which reduces the water content by 50%, meaning less energy is needed to boil off the remaining water.\u00a0 The boiler is heated using firewood which is all grown on the farm.<\/p>\n

\"sugar <\/a><\/p>\n

See that local firewood burning?<\/em><\/p>\n

\"sugar <\/a><\/p>\n

The finishing syrup collects in the area on the lower right where it is boiled one last time to achieve the proper saturation.<\/em><\/p>\n

The machine they use is so efficient that the wood is burned 100%, thanks to an ingenious method of re-igniting the smoke that leaves the initial fire, creating more heat, and ensuring that the emissions leaving are simply CO 2<\/sub> and H 2<\/sub>O.\u00a0 That\u2019s why when I drove up I didn\u2019t see tons of smoke! After we had talked for a good while, since I had tons of questions, \u00a0Kevin filled my two buckets with sap, got me my turkey from a freezer in another farm building, and I headed home.\u00a0 The next day I brewed, but more on that later.<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/b><\/p>\n

Jacob has the turkey brining right now and we will cook it this afternoon as part of an Easter feast at our house.\u00a0 I think there are more than 20 people coming so it may be a bit crowded, but mostly just fun!\u00a0 We\u2019ll enjoy the locally and ethically raised meat, as well as many other local foods, including potatoes, beets, cabbage, parsnips, Swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, and plenty of homebrew (but not the sap beer, it won\u2019t be ready for over a month).\u00a0 The feast will remind us of what Easter is about\u2014life\u2014and will hopefully be quite awesome and memorable!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll share the recipe for the sap beer soon as well as a recipe for my favorite maple syrup snack, and a maple syrup coffee cake.\u00a0\u00a0 In the meantime, Cheers and Happy Easter!<\/p>\n

\"easter <\/a><\/p>\n

\n <\/div>\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sap Season A couple weeks ago when the weather here briefly warmed up we chatted a bit with our neighbors about tapping a couple of their sugar maple trees. I had dreams. \u00a0Not dreams\u00a0of maple syrup, but of sap beer. They kindly agreed and so using taps (spiles as they are called\u2014maybe you\u2019ve read Catching […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Beer, Turkey, Ethical Eating, Easter, and Maple Sap - Yes, there is a connection. http:\/\/wp.me\/p44Qm1-rK","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[4,9],"tags":[20,53,82],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p44Qm1-rK","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1730,"url":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2014\/04\/sappy-k-wee-heavy-all-sap-beer\/","url_meta":{"origin":1720,"position":0},"title":"Sappy K-Wee Heavy - An All Sap Beer - Giveaway","date":"April 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Amber and Malty... \u201cAmber and malty,\u201d I thought to myself as visions, aromas, and flavors of a Wee Heavy clouded my mind. Lately this has been the style of beer that most appeals to me.\u00a0 It\u2019s funny because for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this true for most craft beer lovers\u2014all I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fermented Beverages"","img":{"alt_text":"sugar house","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7395\/13947207733_639d3d2fc3_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1769,"url":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2014\/05\/sappy-k-wee-heavy-update\/","url_meta":{"origin":1720,"position":1},"title":"Sappy K-Wee Heavy Update","date":"May 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"After 10 days of fermentation I racked the Sappy K-Wee Heavy. \u00a0(For non-brewing readers: racking involves siphoning the fermented beer from one vessel to another to get the beer off of the sediment, or lees, at the bottom of the vessel. \u00a0It helps make to clarify the beer and in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fermented Beverages"","img":{"alt_text":"Racking Beer","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7302\/13894930588_6099a62392_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1696,"url":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2014\/04\/spring\/","url_meta":{"origin":1720,"position":2},"title":"Spring, is that you?","date":"April 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Finally! It has taken soooooooooooooooooooo long! None of us has any memory that compares to this past Winter. \u00a0Even the old timers seem a bit shell shocked. \u00a0And yet Winter is quickly forgotten on a wonderful sunny Spring day when the kids in the neighborhood all emerge from their homes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Kitchen'r Garden"","img":{"alt_text":"maple sap tapping6","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7410\/13691028923_1d9f164a1f_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":675,"url":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2013\/05\/dandelion-salad-with-parsnip-bacon-and-4-reasons-to-eat-dandelion-greens\/","url_meta":{"origin":1720,"position":3},"title":"Dandelion Salad with Parsnip \u201cBacon\u201d and 4 Reasons to Eat Dandelion Greens","date":"May 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"(Alternate Title:\u00a0What to do with all the dandelions that you've been weeding!) Before this year I had never really accepted dandelions as an edible plant. \u00a0Okay, so I knew that they were edible but I hadn\u2019t bothered trying them. \u00a0I believe that the main inspiration in finally trying them this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gluten-Free"","img":{"alt_text":"parsnipbacon.jpg","src":"http:\/\/localkitchener.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/05\/parsnipbacon.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1627,"url":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2014\/03\/cultured-catsup-fermented-ketchup\/","url_meta":{"origin":1720,"position":4},"title":"Cultured Catsup - or - Fermented Ketchup","date":"March 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Before we start, what do you call it, ketchup or catsup? \u00a0 Making ketchup has been at the back of my mind for quite a while now.\u00a0 I had read about a girl in our community who makes her own and I was like I can do that!\u00a0 So now\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fermented Foods"","img":{"alt_text":"truly homemade ketchup","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7308\/12911985543_1473422dcb_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1146,"url":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/2013\/08\/100-mile-dessert-candied-walnut-maple-ice-cream\/","url_meta":{"origin":1720,"position":5},"title":"100 Mile Dessert: Candied Walnut Maple Ice Cream","date":"August 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is it, our first 100% local ice cream.\u00a0 Sweetened with maple syrup and honey, it features local cream, milk, butter, and eggs (quite a few eggs it turns out).\u00a0 The walnuts are farm-direct (back in May we visited\u00a0Grimo Nuts) from less than 100 miles away in the Niagara On\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gluten-Free"","img":{"alt_text":"Candied Walnut Maple Ice Cream","src":"http:\/\/localkitchener.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/08\/img_6088.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"builder_content":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1720"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localkitchener.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}