Despite no entries during the post season, Team Somerskogen has not been idle. We are in the process of upgrading equipment, repairing damage from a forest fire and venturing into new products. Here are a few updates:
Our 20 year old flue pan (the first pan that holds the sap) started leaking at the end of the season, despite our best efforts to stop the constant dripping sap. The pan was a lead-free soldered pan, whereas new models are all tig-welded stainless steel. A decision was made to replace our woodburning workhorse of 20 years, and upgrade to a state of the art gas-fired evaporator. Will we miss the charm and warmth of a wood fire? Yes! Will we miss the ongoing need to cut and split wood? No!
Trading in our woodburner, we installed a 3x10 CDL Deluxe evaporator (see pictures). This required significant changes to our sugarhouse with new roof jacks, feeder tanks repositioned and a propane tank place near the sugarhouse, between the maple trees.
The second major change in the sugarbush occurred May 4, 2018. While we were out of town, a tree fell on a power line at the southern end of our property and started a fire in the dry underbrush. An alert neighbor notified the fire department and three hours later, five fire trucks extinguished the spreading blaze that charred two acres.
The hardy maple trees survived, but all the sap lines were melted and destroyed. Weeks of removal and reinstallation of new sap lines occurred over the summer and fall. The misfortune of the fire resulted in an updated tubing system as the maple industry has evolved since the time we first installed our vacuum tubing network.
The other big development at Somerskogen Sugarbush has been our venture into barrel-aged maple syrup. We partnered with our new friend, Tom Slattery of JJ's Wine, Spirits and Cigars in Sioux Falls, SD to age our maple syrup in a Kentucky bourbon barrel that had high-quality bourbon (Buffalo Trace) aged in it for 8 years. As the maple syrup went into the barrel, the aroma was nothing short of amazing! With monthly tastings, we decided the Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup was ready to be bottled after 4 months. Our allotment rapidly sold out and never made it on the website. However, in the good news department, we recently obtained two more barrels from Tom Slattery (Four Roses and Knob Creek), filled them with maple syrup and look forward to more delicious Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup in 4-6 months. Stay tuned!
So, as you can see, we've been busy in the off-season, getting ready for Spring 2019 and hopefully, a new record amount of maple syrup.
Thank you to all of you who read our periodic blog, spread the word about our favorite hobby and buy our maple syrup. We appreciate it!