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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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and this is another Vermont Maple Minute.

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Grade A pure maple syrup
must meet standards

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in four key areas: color,
clarity, density, and flavor.

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A recent survey from the
University of Vermont Extension

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asked over 200 Vermont sugar makers

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about issues related to grading syrup.

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The surveyed sugar makers
ranged in experience

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from one to 65 years and
combined to have over 4,000 years

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of experience making maple syrup.

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Together, those surveyed produced 17%

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of all the syrup in Vermont.

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33% of respondents indicated
that grading syrup flavor

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was the most challenging part of grading.

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Maple syrup has a pure,
delicate, and distinctive flavor

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that will not mask defects well.

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Unlike syrup color and syrup density,

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there is no quantitative
measure for syrup flavor.

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The maple regulations
have flavor descriptors

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that producers use to make sure

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syrup color and flavor are in agreement.

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Occasionally, syrup flavor
fails to meet the standard

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for Grade A syrup.

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Perhaps the most
important part of ensuring

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only Grade A flavored
syrup reaches the consumer

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is tasting every batch
of syrup being bottled.

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This is Mark Isselhardt, Maple Specialist,

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with the University of Vermont Extension,

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and this has been another
Vermont Maple Minute.