syrup left to right: grade A: golden color and delicate taste; grade A: amber color and rich flavor; grade A dark color and robust flavor; grade A: very dark and strong flavor
ALL ABOUT MAPLE SYRUP
Where I live in New England, really good, pure maple syrup is a staple. I was recently testing a recipe for apple cinnamon maple syrup with pecans and ran out of my go-to Grade B syrup. When I reached the maple syrup aisle in the local market, I was overwhelmed by a wall of Grade A syrups with no Grade B to be found. What happened to Grade B syrup? Why are there so many types of Grade A syrup? These questions needed answers, so I did some research.
Prior to 2014, pure maple syrup was sold as Grade A (light), B (dark), and C (very dark and only available for commercial use). In 2014, Vermont, the producer of nearly half of the maple syrup made in the United States, changed its regulations to classify all maple syrup meeting a certain quality level – regardless of color and taste – as Grade A. In 2015, the USDA adopted Vermont's regulations to be phased in over the next three years (by 2018). In 2017, Canada, the world's largest maple syrup producer, also followed suit and abandoned their Nos. 1, 2, and 3 grade classifications.
Why change the maple syrup classifications?
Maybe because they equated syrup grading to receiving a B on a high school history exam, many people believed that Grade A syrup was more refined or of a better quality than Grade B syrup, which was not true. Although each grade was different in color and taste, the quality and sugar content may have been exactly the same. To remedy this misperception and ensure consistent quality, the USDA now classifies all syrup that has good maple flavor, has uniform color that is bright and typical of maple syrup, and is free of cloudiness and unwanted odors as Grade A. Syrup that only “fairly” meets these requirements does not receive the Grade A classification and qualifies as a processing grade syrup that is primarily used as a commercial food ingredient. The good news for you and me is that regardless of color and taste, all Grade A syrups should now be the same quality.
If all syrup is now the same quality, why is there a difference in color and flavor?
Under the new Grade A classification system, differences in syrup color and flavor depend on when in the season the syrup is produced. In a nutshell, syrup is made from tapping the sap of sugar maple trees, which is then boiled to evaporate water existing in the sap until a certain sugar density is reached, at which point it becomes syrup. As the season progresses, sap naturally develops more sugar and will be different when tapped. Although the process for making syrup is the same, the color and flavor of the syrup changes based on the type and concentration of the sugar in the sap, how long it takes to boil the sap to produce syrup, the outside temperature when the syrup is made, and differences in microbial activity. The science can get complex, but here's the takeaway: syrup made earlier in the season is lighter in color and flavor, while syrup made later in the season is darker and stronger in flavor. With this basic understanding of syrup production, we arrive at the four Grade A syrup classifications:
Grade A: Golden Color and Delicate Taste (formerly “Fancy” or “Vermont Fancy”): lightest in color and most delicate and subtle in flavor made earliest in the season. This syrup is typically used for drizzling over pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, and ice cream.
Grade A: Amber Color and Rich Flavor (formerly “Grade A Medium Amber” or “Grade A Dark Amber”): slightly darker in color with a stronger, smoother, more well-rounded flavor made mid-season. This syrup is also used for eating on pancakes and waffles by those liking a stronger flavor and is typically used in cooking and baking and for stirring in tea or cocktails.
Grade A: Dark Color and Robust Flavor (formerly “Grade A Dark Amber, Grade B”): darker and even stronger in flavor (reminiscent of brown sugar) made mid/late-season. This syrup is typically used in cooking and baking where a heavy maple flavor is wanted, such as in granola, a BBQ sauce, or for a glaze.
Grade A: Very Dark and Strong Flavor (formerly “Grade C”): the darkest and strongest in flavor and made latest in the season. This syrup is typically used as a substitute for molasses and making maple candy (and as Grade C, was only available for commercial use). It is difficult to find this syrup type in markets.
This is only a guide: there is no one right way to use maple syrup. It all depends on what you like and how intense you want the syrup flavor to be for your particular purpose.