What a Sorry Sap.

I'm talking of course about the maple sap we're likely to get this year. I was talking with my friend and mentor in syrup making yesterday, and she says we'll be tapping the trees this weekend. She's not anticipating a great season though. The weather has been too funny, and already there are buds on the trees. Now, the sap is fine until those buds open, but once they do, the sap starts to take on a bitterness, and the syrup isn't very pleasant. The ideal condition for syrup is weather where the roots are covered with snow, the days get above zero, and the nights dip below it, and before the buds break open. We'll have a narrow window this year folks.
I think for the sake of learning the process, even if the sap goes "buddy" and gross tasting, I'll take it through the steps to turn it into syrup. Even if it's not fit for pancake consumption, at least I'll know how to do so in the future.

I've started saving used up bottles from syrup around here, and I can buy more of those types from the tractor supply company (TSC) for .99 cents. They only hold about 250 mL of syrup, or about one cup, but they'll make the liter or so that I make seem to go further.