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- [Mark] This is Mark
Isselhardt, Maple Specialist,

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with the University of Vermont Extension.

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This is a Vermont Maple Minute.

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Winning a ribbon at a maple contest

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is a significant source of
pride for the sugar maker

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and can help with marketing
their hard earned product.

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Most contests require a pint of syrup

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be entered for judging, but
they don't necessarily require

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the syrup be hot-packed when entered.

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To make sure you are entering the syrup

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in the correct category,

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open the syrup right before entering

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and regrade it for the four basics,

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color, clarity, density, and flavor.

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Syrup must be well filtered

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and free of any foreign material.

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The density must be within legal limits.

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And the syrup must be in
the correct color class.

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Remember that syrup will darken over time.

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Syrup that was close to the limit

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for color during the season,

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might be the next grade
darker by contest time.

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Assuming the syrup meets
the first three standards,

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judges will then grade the syrup's flavor.

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While syrup flavor is the most
subjective part of judging,

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syrup cannot be off-flavored,
and generally speaking,

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the flavor should reflect
the syrup's color,

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with darker syrup having stronger flavor.