Birch Syrup

[Singsing]

Hi guys, i've been going through the websites getting my kit, but i feel that my bush-craft ability has come to a halt.
where it is directing me to learn next is to collect and brew birch sap. does anyone know the name, and where i can get
a hand drill that ray mears has used?

[rik_uk3]

Have you researched how many gallons/litres of birch sap you need to boil and reduce to get a litre of syrup? Its a heck of a lot. IIRC its around a 10:1 ratio, 100 litres of birch sap will give you one litre of birch syrup.

That said, if you have enough trees, time and equipment/boilers etc then go for it chap.

[Singsing]

Ok thanks, i was plan on having it for breakfast and boiling down the leftovers, even if its not a great amount ill keep it.

[midas]

[QUOTE=rik_uk3;107789]Have you researched how many gallons/litres of birch sap you need to boil and reduce to get a litre of syrup? Its a heck of a lot. IIRC its around a 10:1 ratio, 100 litres of birch sap will give you one litre of birch syrup.

If its 10:1 ratio????Then 100 litres would produce 10litres of syrup??????Or have I missed something??It is 58years since I left School.

[Fraxinus]

You don't need a fancy auger with an eye for a handle to go through.
A small auger bit (ex carpenters one from a boot fair) will do, cleaned and sharpened up. A sway brace will be easier to use too.
However it can be collected with just a knife stabbed in and a piece of sharpened twig pushed in like Mr Mears showed in one of his vids.

Rob.

edit: found a video.

[rik_uk3]

[QUOTE=midas;107805]

Have you researched how many gallons/litres of birch sap you need to boil and reduce to get a litre of syrup? Its a heck of a lot. IIRC its around a 10:1 ratio, 100 litres of birch sap will give you one litre of birch syrup.

If its 10:1 ratio????Then 100 litres would produce 10litres of syrup??????Or have I missed something??It is 58years since I left School.

Your right, 100:1 ratio, in fact a little more than that...my humble apologies, I shall self flagellate myself in shame

"Making birch syrup is more difficult than making maple syrup, requiring about 100-120 liters of sap to produce one liter of syrup (more than twice that needed for maple syrup). "
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_syrup

[Midge_Fodder]

I'm sure Dave Budd makes a kit for it. Might be worth dropping him a PM. Shug

[shack]

I've just used a hand drill and a wood bit didn't bother to distill it just had it as a mildly sweet slug, again just one of those bushcraft give it a go experiments, always the best.
Don't forget to plug it when finished.