Maple Syrup Liquors, Eh?
In the spring, when the sap starts running in the trees, the maple producers of the Northern US and Canada start their gathering. Probably everyone has seen photos of buckets hanging from taps on trees, and the maple sap running, or sometimes dripping, into them.
That sap is then boiled for hours to reduce it to the sugary goodness we know as maple syrup. The most common use for this syrup is, of course, to flavor and moisten a big stack of pancakes or waffles or French toast - and a very good use it is! It’s also commonly found in candies and in yummy maple cookies (often shaped like maple leaves and sandwiching sweet maple frosting, similar to an Oreo cookie).
But maple syrup is used many other ways including as a start for liquor. According to the Thirsty Traveler, this is accomplished by adding yeast to maple syrup, although he doesn’t delve into the specifics - I guess I should have watched the show to get those! Our neighbors in Quebec are leading the way with these new maple based spirits products.
Intermeil, a meade producer, makes two maple spirits products: Gélinotte and Geai Bleu. Gélinotte is pure maple, while Geai Bleu is maple enhanced with blueberries.
Maison des Futailles makes a distilled maple syrup they call Fine Seve, or Fine Sap. I need to look for this product the next time I’m in Canada. Elizabeth Stevenson in a travelogue published on F5, describes it this way:
It’s basically distilled maple syrup, and tastes exactly like what you would expect — extremely smooth, not too sweet, but with a deep, fiery note of caramelized maple sugar on the finish and an overwhelming aroma of freshly baked maple sugar cookies
This same company also makes Sortilège, a maple and Canadian Whiskey blend that sounds intriguing. The following recipe, from their website, almost makes me wish we were headed back into the winter months. Almost…
Sortilège Coffee
- 1 ounce of French brandy or VS (Very Superior) cognac
- 1 ounce of Sortilège
- Coffee
- Whipped cream
Pour hot coffee into a glass goblet or tankard, add the spirits and coat with whipped cream.
