Bottled Aspen, Beech, and Birch Saps
Aspen (Populus tremuloides), beech (Fagus grandiflora ), and birch trees (Betula spp. ) are abundant in diverse forests across the northeastern United States. Sap can be harvested from these trees and provide an increased diversity in food and beverage products for operations producing maple syrup. At present, these trees are not commonly tapped for their sap as maple trees (Acer spp. ) are, though their sap can be collected and boiled into syrup. Because aspen, beech, and birch sap each contain less than 1% sugar, requiring a sap to syrup ratio as high as 140:1 to produce syrup, it is more practical to use the sap in food and beverage products. This article reviews the composition of aspen, beech, and birch saps, common preservation and packaging methods, regulatory guidelines, an overview of commercial production procedures, and consumer evaluations.