Are your bottles returnable?
Unfortunately we are not able to refill our bottles at this time. This is due to health department regulations on the shared kitchen space we use. It has been a long-term goal of ours from the beginning, and something we continue to pursue.
HOWEVER, you can refill them! We offer gallon and half gallon sizes that you can store in the freezer and fill your flask as needed (see details below). We also highly encourage “Reflasking” using the awesome bottles for home made tinctures, dressings, juices and the occasional picnic cocktail :-) #reflask
"Is there alcohol in your syrup?"
We work with emptied bourbon barrels, and do not actively add any alcohol to our syrup. We designed our process to eliminate the potential for alcohol, but have recently found trace amounts of alcohol remaining in our syrup from the extended aging process. We are currently working to better understand and adapt to this new information.
We do suggest using the Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup as an ingredient in cocktails, as it serves as a rich and wonderful replacement for a lot of sugars and simple syrups. Check our Recipes tab for instructions for bang-a-rang cocktails such as a Maple White Russian and the Bourbon Maple Old Fashioned.
How should I store maple syrup?
Although maple syrup is a very stable product, we recommend storing our syrup in the refrigerator after it has been opened. If it is left out for a few days it is fine, but extended storage in warm conditions can occasionally cause some challenges.
Crystalization: After a long period of being opened sugar crystals can begin to form on the inside of the syrup bottle. It looks just like rock candy, which it essentially is. Some of the water in the syrup has slowly evaporated off, leaving more sugar molecules than the water molecules can hold. By adding a small amount of distilled water (start with a few drops for the mini to a half teaspoon for the half pint or pint) & warming, the sugar molecules can once again be suspended in the liquid.
Surface Mold: The University of Vermont advises, "If, after extended storage, mold should form on the surface of the syrup, the original quality can be restored. Remove the mold, heat the syrup to boiling, skim the surface, sterilize the container, and refill it with the syrup."
Can you freeze maple syrup?
Yes! Maple does not expand the same way water does when it freezes, so as long as there is a little head space the bottle won’t break in the freezer. We typically have one gallon in the freezer and a pint in the fridge that we refill from the larger bottle. It stays in a kind of slushy state in the freezer, so give it about 15 minutes or so to warm up to make refilling your flasks much easier! When you refill your bottles they should be kept in the fridge as they were not hot packed.
Where do you get your Bourbon Barrels?
We have the great privilege of collaborating with Central Waters Brewing Company on this project. They source the barrels, we use them to age our maple syrup for two full years & then return the barrels to the brewery where they age their Maple Barrel Stout in the maple soaked barrels. This beer is a small batch special release, so keep your eyes peeled! The delicious just keeps on delicious-ing!
How do I open the darn thing?
Our bottles are capped with a crown cap (like a big beer cap) and then wax dipped. Cut the wax below the cap and open it with a bottle opener. Once opened, use the attached bale by inserting the rubber gasket end into the bottle and pressing down on the wire around the neck of the bottle.
I noticed a variation between batches. Why does this happen?
We bottle in small batches, and every batch, although the one ingredient, pure, organic Wisconsin maple syrup, is identical and it is handled the same way, produces somewhat different flavors. We are still learning about what influences this variation and here are a few things we have found.
The first one is the syrup going in. Syrup changes characteristics throughout the season, starting with a very light delicate sweetness and progressing to a more robust flavor. This is influenced by the weather at the time of harvest. We do our best to blend our whole year’s crop, but our facilities are small and some variations are still present. The next factor is the actual barrels the syrup is aged in. The wood of the barrels possesses various flavor compounds, and different characteristics come out stronger in some barrels than others. The seasonal changes the syrup experiences in the aging process also influence the flavors that result. Again we try to blend for consistency, and as we grow we will be able to blend more thorougly. A final factor in flavor variation is the temperature at which the syrup is tasted. It sounds silly, but there is a remarkable difference in flavors that are experienced in cold vs. warm syrup.
With each batch we learn more and get better at our craft. It takes time, the syrup ages for a full year, but we are confident our commitment to quality will bring increasingly excellent syrup to the table.
Our syrup has only one ingredient- certified organic maple syrup, which is naturally gluten free. We do not have a "Gluten Free" certification, but there is no point in our process where gluten contact happens.
Our syrup is aged in empty 53 gallon Bourbon barrels, oak barrels that previously held Bourbon but are totally empty before the syrup goes in. If you are concerned that the contact with the oak, which previously had contact with the bourbon, may contribute gluten, "Beyond Celiac" states, "Pure, distilled bourbon, even if made with wheat, barley, or rye added to the “mash” is considered gluten-free." https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/liquor/bourbon/
Every body is different. By understanding our process you will be able to make the decisions that are best for you.
Is your syrup Gluten Free?