Volume of Maple Syrup from Sap

The Volume of Maple Syrup from Sap calculator computes the amount of maple syrup that can be produced from maple tree sap.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose units and enter the following:

• (SAP) Amount of Tree Sap
• (StS) Sap to Syrup ratio (default: 40 with a range from 20 to 60)

Maple Syrup (MS): The calculator returns the volume of syrup in gallons and liters, and the weight of syrup in pounds and kilograms.  However these can be automatically converted to compatible units via the pull-down menu

The Math / Science

Maple syrup is sweet food liquid product that is roughly 67% sugar and 33% water.  It is a product farmed by tapping surface maples in the late winter when the sap runs.  This period is somewhere between four and six weeks.    To produce the maple syrup, the sap is cooked to evaporate the water from the sap which originally had 98% water and 2% sugar. Maple trees on average produce 5 to 15 US gallons (20 to 60 liters) of sap in a season.

The formula for the amount of syrup from sap is:

      MS = SAP / StS

where;

• MS = Volume of Maple Syrup
• SAP = Volume of Maple Tree Sap
• StS = Sap to Syrup ratio which ranges from 20 to 60 depending on local conditions and the different variety of trees. The ratio of sap to syrup (67% sugar) is 40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup for sugar maples under normal conditions.  

Maple sap is traditionally harvested via a tap that flows sap into bucket.  Larger producers channel the sap from the taps into networks of tubs that allow the sap to run down hill into collection containers.  Based on the number of taps, sap to syrup production rate and the current market value of syrup, one can calculate the value of a maple syrup harvest.

Maple Syrup Calculators

• Volume of Maple Syrup from Sap
• Value of Maple Syrup Harvest
• Density of Maple Syrup
• It's Maple Syrup Season (blog)