Sweet and Sappy

We recently tasted more than two dozen maple syrups and were impressed by their variety. Nearly a third came from Trader Joe’s markets, which makes a specialty of importing Canadian syrup.

Some producers bottle their own syrup, some sell to bottlers who market the syrup under a brand name and some do both. A number of Vermont syrups are sold in plastic jugs with a generic label, but some jugs also carry a tag naming the producer. And finally, Trader Joe’s has several quite different-tasting syrups sold in different kinds of container.

To our taste, the best Grade A syrups came from Van Alstyne and Plummer Sugar House (we also liked Plummer’s Grade B), both available by mail order. The two estate-grown Canadian syrups being sold by Trader Joe’s also impressed us, and there were also a number of votes for Shady Maple Farm Dark Amber and Butternut Mountain Farm’s very delicate Light Amber. Our favorite Grade B syrups were from Van Alstyne and Trader Joe’s (in jug, not can).

In all the variety, two facts stood out: The syrups that tasted best to us didn’t come in stylish containers, and the word “organic” tended to indicate a strong, coarse flavor.

Light Amber Grade A

Van Alstyne (Vermont): light, clean, almost floral maple flavor. An example of Vermont Fancy grade syrup. Mail order.

Berkshire Sweet Gold (Massachusetts): tasted of vanilla and butter, not very mapley. Sur la Table.

Syrup Nouveau (Canada): rather like honey. Trader Joe’s.

Butternut Mountain Farm (Vermont): exactly like honey. Williams-Sonoma.

Medium Amber Grade A

Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in generic jug): vanilla, light but good maple. Mail order.

Van Alstyne (Vermont): good flavor, buttery quality. Mail order.

1998 Ferme N&C; Nadeau, Estate Grown (Canada): good maple with candied quality. Trader Joe’s.

1998 Clement Savard, Estate Grown (Canada): lively maple. Trader Joe’s.

Naturally Maple (Canada): vanilla and maple, missing some middle notes. Costco.

Dark Amber Grade A

Shady Maple Farm (Quebec): vanilla and maple, some good acidity. Vons Pavilions.

Van Alstyne (Vermont): maple and candied flavors. Mail order.

Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in generic jug): good strong maple flavor. Mail order.

Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in can): bright, floral notes. Mail order.

Northern Comfort (Maple Grove Farms; Vermont and/or Canada): maple sugar flavor. Mail order.

Butternut Mountain Farm (Vermont): maple with molasses notes. Home Chef.

Gourmand (Canada): strong maple flavor, almost like a Grade B. Surfas.

Trader Joe’s (Canada, in plastic jug): maple and candied flavors.

Stonewall Kitchen (Maine): surprisingly mapley at first, then molasses note. Sur la Table.

Springtree (Canada): strong, heavy maple flavor. Wild Oats.

Wild Oats organic (Canada): coarse, heavy flavor of maple, rum, grain and charcoal. Wild Oats.

Grade B

Van Alstyne (Vermont): strong but pure maple flavor. Mail order.

Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in generic jug): dark maple flavor, some acidity, surprisingly good by itself. Mail order.

Trader Joe’s B (Canada, in plastic jug): clean, strong, hard-edged maple flavor. Trader Joe’s.

Wild Oats (no source): coarse, molasses-like flavor. Wild Oats.

1998 100% Maple Syrup (Canada, in bottle): more molasses than maple. Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s 1998 Grade B (Canada, in can): molasses. Trader Joe’s.

Mail Order Information

Van Alstyne, RR 2, Box 118, South Royalton, VT 05068; (802) 763-7036; half-pint can, $4, all grades.

Plummer Sugar House, P.O. Box 85, Grafton, VT 05146; (802) 843-2207; half-pint can, $4.75, Medium Amber; $4, Dark Amber.

Maple Grove Farms of Vermont, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819; (802) 748-5141; 12-ounce bottle, $6.95.