Today we filled our next recently emptied bourbon barrel with hot pure maple syrup. We will start to taste test it about 7/1 but most likely it won’t be ready until early August or maybe even early September. This was another 10 gallon barrel and so far they have needed 6-7 months, but just in case we start taste testing it after 5 months and then every 7-10 days until it is determined to have reached the ultimate marriage between maple flavor and bourbon flavor. We like the 2 flavors to be essentially equal, with neither over powering the other.
I will soon pack the remaining 16.5 gal (The stainless steel barrel the syrup used for the bourbon barrel syrup came from a full 26.5 gal barrel of my maple syrup, leaving 16.5 gal to pack as regular syrup in retail containers. I may get to do that after the weather moderates after the next 3 days which according to the forecast will be extremely cold. It all starts to warm after Friday. It even looks like above freezing part of the day for the following 5 days.
Maybe the maple season is going to start. This is not unheard of but it certainly is earlier in the year than typical. It is far more common for the season to start late Feb to mid March.