Taste – Georgia Mountain Maples

You may not have felt the cold air prickle your skin on a frigid January morning on Georgia Mountain or stood in the sugarbush during the spring thaw and inhaled the sweet smell of thawing earth. But one taste of our maple syrup and you’ve experienced “terroir” or “taste of place,” a concept that’s becoming increasingly popular with people who are looking for authentic food experiences. During the sugaring season, you can stop by the sugarhouse and experience that taste first-hand as we always have maple samples available when we are boiling.

We all want to feel a connection to the food on our plates. It matters where our food comes from — the farming practices of the people who produce it and the land and heritage of the place, itself. People and place come together to create something unique and authentic.

Our single-source, organic maple syrup is a true taste of Vermont. What does that taste like, exactly? Well, it depends on the grade. The new Vermont maple syrup grading system is designed to make it easier for you to find the maple syrup that best suits your palate, and the occasion.

Here’s how it works:

Grade A: Golden color with delicate taste

This is usually the first maple syrup of the season, when the sugarbush is still deep in snow. This light, clear syrup, with hints of vanilla, is delicious on pancakes, waffles, French toast, and even as a topping for ice-cream, fresh fruit, and yogurt.

Grade A: Amber color with rich taste

Over the course of the maple season, the syrup takes on a darker hue and stronger maple flavor. This popular, versatile syrup is typically produced mid-season, when the mud is at its thickest and the streams are overflowing with melting snow. With its light color and mild maple flavor, this syrup is good on just about anything. Pour it on your oatmeal and pancakes, or use it as a sugar substitute in your favorite baked goods.

Grade A: Dark with robust taste

If you like a strong maple flavor, then you can’t go wrong with this syrup, produced toward the end of the season, when the patches of grass begin to outnumber the mounds of snow. You can cook with it, put it on the breakfast table, or use it to sweeten your tea or coffee. Some of our customers use this darker syrup as a glaze for meats and vegetables, or as a sweetener in breads and cookies.

Grade A: Very dark with strong taste

This is the very last syrup of the season, when most Vermonters are happily trading their snow shovels for garden hoes. Its rich maple flavor makes this syrup ideal for cooking. It tastes delicious in just about any recipe. Or if you’re really into maple, then you can use it to add flavor and sweetness to just about anything.