birch sap

falafael · Mar 5, 2009

have got the equipment to collect birch sap, but before i go out, i want to know when is the right time to collect the sap, and how far up the tree should i bore a hole? is 6ft to high up as theres one up the garden!! (neighbours).
Thanks for advice, hopefully now is the right time, as leaves are budding??

Thanks

BrewStew · Mar 5, 2009

i've got an episode of river cottage where HFW and his mate go and do this.... i can dig it out tonight and double check :thumb:

percival · Mar 5, 2009

This has been my most wanted to do wine for ages .... lucky you having a tree! is it a silver birch? i believe they are best for this recipe.

http://birchsapwine.com/

has a neat short how to do feel about it

We recently had a tree surgeon come to our neighbours to take care of a big sycamore. We asked about sap wines and he said that the hole in the tree should be plugged with hard wax to ensure the tree doesn't get infected (you'll prolly have to warm it up so you can form a good shape for the plug - including a little grab for easy removal next year). I would go for his advice over the above website suggesting cork, but thats only because its his speciality so he should know, rather than what i know.

BrewStew · Mar 5, 2009

ok, the episode in question is a "Cook on the wild side" episode 7.

you need to catch it as the sap is rising which he pointed out is about when the buds are breaking on a pussy willow tree.

they use a hand drill about 1/2 inch diameter and deep enough to just get through the bark (looked about half to one inch deep). the drill hole is about 2 or three feet from the ground.

the sap will almost immediately flow.

he then jams a pvc tube into the hole (so i assume you need the right diameter drill bit so a tube fits in the hole), and puts the other end into the demihon and leaves it for about 3 or 4 days to get a good half gallon.

they then plug the hole with some soft clay so the tree can naturally heal from the hole and helps stop infection.

filter the sap through muslin... top up with an equal quantity of hot water... add yeast and airlock and leave for three months to ferment :thumb:

arturobandini · Mar 5, 2009

Definitely be sure to plug your bore hole as not only can this lead to tree infection but it will effectively bleed to death if it's not done properly.

trunky · Mar 5, 2009

I really want to try this but have no trees, if there is anyone in the vicinity of Bristol who has a tree that want to share/gain experience please let me know.

arturobandini · Mar 5, 2009

If done properly I can see you pottering out into the local woods with a demi, a drill and a pvc tube...

Ever heard of guerilla gardening? Some Brewers plant hops in the woods and fields around them and let nature take it's rich course. There's no reason why the great British countryside can't help you out with a little extra garden space.

falafael · Mar 6, 2009

thanks guys for the info, looks like there's a few of you dying to see how it goes..as for the tree, naturally i will make sure the hole is plugged tight, love trees actually, this is a first for me, going into woods in the morning and setting up the stuff, its of the beaten track and will check again on saturday afternoon, looking forward to it actually!!

Forgot, where i am, about 10 minute walk, there is about 12 silver birches all in a line, and all out of the way!! Winner!
Nice input as well brew, will keep you all posted on how i go on, will post some pictures as well!

falafael · Mar 6, 2009

went out this morning, drilled hole and put in the tube, and leaving till sunday morning!

percival · Mar 6, 2009

nice one Fala, i hope it works out great cos i wanna do this wine sometime :grin:

BrewStew · Mar 6, 2009

did the sap start flowing straight away?

falafael · Mar 6, 2009

actually it didnt, but it was early, and there was a good frost here last night, so put it down to that!!

Will check sat afternoon now!

falafael · Mar 9, 2009

went to look in on it sunday afternoon, and not one drop had come out, the wood was bone dry as well, maybe the tree wasn't the right one, always looks different with no leaves on..wil re-do this week! disappointed

Jensen · Mar 9, 2009

It's probably too early, with the **** cold weather the tree's probably still dormant, wait until the buds are just about to burst and you'll find the tree will bleed freely. I'd give it another month. Good luck

falafael · Mar 9, 2009

was thinking along those lines too, leave for another month then!..thanks jensen

aeddon · Mar 9, 2009

trunky said:
I really want to try this but have no trees, if there is anyone in the vicinity of Bristol who has a tree that want to share/gain experience please let me know.

Were lcuky in bristol, we have Ashton court and Leewoods just on our door step, leewoods defo has loads of birch

freebrew · Mar 22, 2013

I've decided to go collecting birch sap tomorrow. You are supposed to collect birch sap n early march but I think that the sap will be running a little later this year, because the trees respond to the general weather. I will post and say whether I can get any.

Also, would it be a better idea to make the birch sap into syrup by boiling it for future use? I heard that making syrup from it lasts alot longer, whereas the normal sap lasts for a period of days AFAIK. Using a syrup solution would probably also mean that you could get a higher alcohol content when brewing than using the sap alone.

Zedilly · Mar 22, 2013

Holy thread revival Batman.

stu · Mar 22, 2013

That's some thread necromancy going on!

Personally, I would have started a new thread and linked to the old one.

freebrew · Mar 24, 2013

I went birch tapping yesterday (hence previous post) and I would like to announce that THE SAP IS RUNNING. I have left my taps overnight because I got about 3 teaspoons in half an hour. Because it was in a public place (I got permission), once I had the sap up an running, I camoflaged it with leaves and ground plants etc so that the casual onlooker with relatively little botanical knoledge wouldn't suspect anything.
Post Script: use a small, shaved, straight stick at a near verticle angle to tap birch sap into a bottle, else the sap will choose to run own the tree instead.

birch sap

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