At Black Creek Maple, maple syrup isn’t just a product—it’s a family tradition that’s been passed down through generations. Nestled in the heart of Jeffersonville, Vermont, our family-owned sugarhouse is built on over a century of dedication to crafting 100% pure Vermont maple syrup. From tapping the trees to bottling each jug, every step is carried out with care and respect for the process and the land that sustains it.
Founded by Ronald, Black Creek Maple is named for the slow-moving creek that separates our family property from the sugarbush, where we tap trees each season. Inspired by his father Albert’s love for sugaring, Ronald has made it his mission to carry on this cherished tradition. Today, we are proud to share the rich flavors of Vermont’s forests with families near and far, one bottle at a time.
Early each spring, when daytime temperatures start to rise above freezing while nights remain cold, we tap the maple trees in our sugarbush to collect the sap. Each tree is fitted with a spout that connects to a network of pipelines running through the sugar woods. These pipelines gently guide the sap from the trees down to the sugarhouse, where the process continues. On each side of the sugarbush, we use vacuum pumps to help draw the sap from the trees without harming them. This careful extraction process preserves the health of the trees while allowing us to collect the sap needed to make high-quality maple syrup.
The freshly collected sap is naturally only about 1.5% sugar, which means it’s mostly water. To concentrate the sugars and prepare it for boiling, we use a reverse osmosis (RO) machine, which filters out a large portion of the water. This machine uses high pressure to push the sap through a membrane, separating much of the water and increasing the sugar concentration up to around 10%. This step is vital for creating a rich, flavorful syrup and also reduces the amount of time and energy needed in the boiling stage, making the process more efficient and sustainable.
After concentration, the sap flows into our evaporator, which is equipped with a special device called a steamaway. This setup allows us to further remove water from the sap by boiling it in stages. The steamaway removes additional water content, raising the sugar concentration to around 14%. The sap then moves from the steamaway to the back pan, where it continues to heat and evaporate, allowing the sugars to intensify. By the time it reaches the front pan, the sap has concentrated to about 20% sugar. This multi-step boiling process is essential to achieving the rich, smooth maple syrup flavor we’re known for.
The final boiling phase in the front pan brings the syrup to exactly 220°F—this is the magic temperature where the sap officially transforms into maple syrup. At this point, it reaches the right thickness and sweetness, but we don’t stop there. Each batch is tested with a hydrometer to ensure it meets the ideal density for maple syrup. If it’s too thick, the syrup could crystallize in the bottle; if it’s too thin, it may spoil faster. Our meticulous testing and quality control make sure that each bottle of Black Creek Maple syrup is perfectly balanced, fresh, and ready to enjoy.
