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darlee1234 t1_j6foktx wrote

Fridge. It gets nasty if left out.

24

-Motor- t1_j6foohr wrote

Refrigeration inhibits bacterial growth. Maple syrup is very susceptible to bacterial growth... lots of simple sugars, and no inhibitors like low pH of ketchup.

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Commercial_Case_7475 t1_j6fozg1 wrote

If you're a real Vermonter you'll be done with that before there's any chance of it getting moldy. Bottoms up!

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SilentUnicorn t1_j6fpk8p wrote

Cupboard until unsealed- then the fridge till gone. Repeat often.

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whaletacochamp t1_j6frhtl wrote

The bottle probably says right on it - the ones I use do. Refrigerate after opening and in the odd event that mold forms just scrape it off the top and reboil the syrup.

It will last damn near indefinitely in the freezer.

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Seyword t1_j6fsae8 wrote

Syrup in the fridge, honey in the cupboard.

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DubJ13 t1_j6fts9s wrote

I usually have a gallon in the freezer and bring that out to fill a quart I keep in the fridge at all times.

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East-Letter3972 t1_j6ftvur wrote

I guess I’m the only one that leaves open bottles on the counter

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Smirkly t1_j6fvral wrote

A good thing about Maple Syrup, even if it gets moldy, just skim it off, bring to a boil. and it's good again.

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pils-nerd t1_j6fy8kv wrote

I keep a quart jar on my counter and It goes in my coffee each morning along with various other things. I use it up in about a month and its always fine. If you want peace of mind then you can keep it cold but I never have a problem. The good news is that maple syrup is inhospitable to most organisms and the only mold that is known to grow in maple syrup (Wallimia sp.) is non toxic. Worst case scenario, if you find a fuzzy little colony floating around in your syrup you can scoop it out and pretend you never saw it.

(Further reading compliments of the mycology department at Cornell)

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pils-nerd t1_j6fzdv7 wrote

Replying to -Motor- (#1,596,181)

The lack of water and the hydrophilic nature of sugar actually makes maple syrup a very poor home for bacterial growth. That's not to say that mold can't grow in syrup (it certainly can), but the only known type of mold that can grow in maple syrup is non toxic.

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weinerjuicer t1_j6g2qjt wrote

it grows visible mold quickly if you do not refrigerate it. how is this even a question?

1

thomcchester t1_j6g3yvw wrote

Once opened you are supposed to drink the rest

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SkyBS t1_j6g4x9t wrote

I’ll never forget the horror I discovered when I pulled a quart of syrup out of the cupboard, twisted off the top and found a thick film of mold on top. My flatlander stepmom had placed the open jug in cupboard after barely using it. She wasn’t bothered. She said she bought it “for the container” anyway. It was a standard plastic jug.

1

Jerry_Williams69 t1_j6g5vmi wrote

It spoils really fast if it doesn't have preservatives in it.

0

OmegaXesis t1_j6g5zq5 wrote

As someone who is from /r/all and has never tried Vermont maple syrup. How does it compare to Canadian maple syrups?

1

the_last_lebowski t1_j6g71hj wrote

I used to store mine on the sideboard until I found mold floating on it.

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halfbakedblake t1_j6g77lb wrote

Am I the only one who doesn't let the syrup exist long enough to find out.

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PromiseNorth t1_j6g7uwq wrote

Countertop, syrup belongs on the counter in VT.

−1

lantrick t1_j6g84qv wrote

It's all well and good until that lump of mold flops out onto your pancakes.

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obiwanjabroni420 t1_j6ga3i7 wrote

Replying to DubJ13 (#1,597,289)

How does it handle being in the freezer? I like to buy syrup by the gallon too, and I have the gallon bottle in a very old, poorly working mini fridge in the basement while keeping smaller bottles in the main fridge. I’m curious about the freezer storage idea.

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YoSoyLaGata t1_j6gc2of wrote

If just a small jar, okay to keep on the counter for a few weeks after opening but check for funky stuff floating on top. Like maybe not more than 2 or 3 weeks and definitely the weather will affect this. In winter, probably ok for longer but if it's summer and hot it will go bad much faster.

A larger container should be refrigerated after opening though, as all the peeps here have so eloquently stated. Nothing worse than opening a nice big opaque container of maple syrup, pouring it out on some nice fresh pancakes, and discovering big glops of mold have landed on your breakfast!

1

Faerhun t1_j6gengw wrote

Replying to East-Letter3972 (#1,597,316)

It all depends on how fast you use it. It's fine if left out but the taste will change after long enough because mold does eventually grow in it. That being said the mold that does grow in it is nontoxic, it just makes it taste funky. So it's usually better to just refrigerate it.

2

syphax t1_j6gentb wrote

Replying to OmegaXesis (#1,599,942)

Are you looking for a fight?

I am married to a Canadian (Acadian New Brunswick) and have had lots of Canadian syrup in my day, and now get my VT syrup from Trade Winds Farm (among other sources), so I'm sort of a neutral.

Answer: I have yet to taste "bad" maple syrup. Darker is better (the old Grade B, now Grade A: Dark Color & Robust Flavor or something?), regardless of the source.

1

DubJ13 t1_j6ggpal wrote

Replying to StellarValkyrie (#1,601,203)

Pretty much this, I sometimes leave it on the counter for an hour or so to help pour quicker but otherwise it’s unchanged. It pours slower than honey when it’s just out of the freezer.

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vtmosaic t1_j6gi7sy wrote

It can grow a film of what I believe is mold. But you can bring it to a boil and skim that layer and it will be fine. Just be very very careful not to let it boil over! What a mess!

3

marblebag t1_j6gim5b wrote

Canadian here, fridge sealed container

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Sad_Week8157 t1_j6gj53k wrote

If the water concentration is low enough, even opened syrup can be stored at room temperature.

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Madisonnnnnnnnnnnn51 t1_j6gjjpk wrote

Maple syrup can grow mold pretty easily, so once it's been opened and exposed to the air, I keep it in the fridge.

It is harder (but not impossible) for mold to survive and grow in cold temperatures, so it'll grow quickly at room temperature in the cupboard, slowly in the fridge, and basically not at all in the freezer. A bottle for me lasts months but not years, so into the fridge it goes!

Now to be fair, that mold isn't toxic, and it's fairly easy to remove by just scraping out what you can, and letting it boil to kill it off and expose the remaining mold spores so you can pick them out. It's just I'd rather not waste my time doing that if I could have just put it in the fridge anyway.

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aigledor1665 t1_j6glllx wrote

Im not a Vermonter i’m a Quebecer for me it’s out of the can into a glass bottle with sealed cap, I just leave it on the counter next to coffee machine. It’s gonna sit there for no more than a month it’s the only sugar I use. It never went bad even in summer

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ClickItWithNeedles t1_j6gls46 wrote

In the fridge! You can store it in the cupboard, but it will start to grow little mold islands before long. And since the syrup bottles tend to be opaque, you might not notice until one of them flows out onto your waffle. Vom.

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Abbyreh t1_j6gompn wrote

Lol...I'm a Vermonter, and I had to read the comments to see the answer!

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suzi-r t1_j6gov0a wrote

A cool, dark place, with top & neck of bottle utterly clean and re-sealed tight, to dissuade pests. Use it up fairly soon. Storing it in the fridge can cause crystallization, which you don’t want. Crystallized syrup can be rewarmed in its jar in a pan of water. Warm the water (under boiling temp) then turn off & let melt slowly. (Better to use it as a regular thing and get rid of all other sweeteners in the house.)

0

suzi-r t1_j6gr5hb wrote

Once a big container has been opened, you can re-decant the syrup into smaller, tightly sealed jars and store sone in the fridge. The one to be used soon can be kept tightly sealed on a cool counter.

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jakub_02150 t1_j6gwqb6 wrote

cupboard, I mean how long is a qt gonna last

1

CorpusculantCortex t1_j6gwthy wrote

opened in the fridge 100%. Maple syrup is perishable and will grow mold under certain conditions. Plus added ick is if you have ANY insects, especially ants, you will find a lil crunch in your syrup if it is even slightly open (which with those fliptops can easily happen after about halfway through a bottle when it has crystallized on the opening a little).

2

Pctechguy2003 t1_j6h0b5e wrote

Replying to sah10183428 (#1,601,454)

Im so tired right now I read your comment as “I also keep wine on the counter…. use it in our coffee…”. I was thinking to myself “hmm… I wonder what wine they are using to pair with their coffee?”

I need to get off reddit and get some sleep. 😴

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jebemo t1_j6havma wrote

Replying to -Motor- (#1,596,181)

pH is not the only formulation tool to reduce microbial growth. Maple syrup has fairly low water activity - youll see some mold over time which is a quality concern but not a pathogen concern.

4

oldbeardedtech t1_j6ho0ij wrote

Depends how fast you go thru it. Wife goes on maple binges where she'll burn thru a quart a month and leaves it out. No issues

Back and forth from fridge to counter (warming to room temp then back to fridge) can cause crystallization. Got a huge rock candy at the bottom of a jug once

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GraniteGeekNH t1_j6hr2b2 wrote

I kept mine in the cupboard for years without any problem but one year strange yellow stuff grew on the surface, so now we keep it in the fridge. It depends on how quickly you use it up; if it's gone within a couple of months, non-fridge is OK.

1

East-Letter3972 t1_j6hrnh2 wrote

Replying to Faerhun (#1,601,546)

I kinda knew The whole skim the mold off the top technique. I remember from my grandfather doing it. I’m just surprised how everyone is reacting like it’s the equivalent of leaving raw meat out.

1

partial_birth t1_j6hrzqp wrote

I've had enough center-console syrup grow chunks to keep opened syrup in the fridge now. It sucks having to strain it and re-boil it.

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thqks t1_j6ht2yf wrote

I go through a quart in about a year, and never have any issues with storing in the pantry.

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-PineMarten t1_j6htyiv wrote

I keep mine in the fridge- but only because I like it cold. I have had it both in the fridge & cabinet and it's been fine both ways : )

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Nukeashfield t1_j6hugjp wrote

Freezer. No mold if you store it in the freezer.

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PineHex t1_j6hv4dl wrote

Cabinet until opened, then fridge

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chesbyiii t1_j6hw0e4 wrote

Store it in the larder if you don't finish drinking it in one sitting. Unless you have a fridge. If you have a fridge, store it in the fridge.

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rectumlike t1_j6hw85y wrote

I never ever refrigerate maple syrup. I produce about 20 gallons a year and never heard of any one refrigerating it , is it common?

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Anxious-Captain737 t1_j6i01f4 wrote

well no matter how you store it should the flavor become off or a mold forms on top put it in a pan and bring to a boil skim off any unpleasant looking stuff rebottle good to go again

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Sparklingpelican t1_j6i1e4f wrote

Refrigerate after opening. It will develop mold if left out. It has nothing to do with the quality of the syrup.

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ojhatsman t1_j6i26p2 wrote

It should be stored in the most accessible spot. Therefore you won’t have to worry about it expiring because it’ll been consumed too quickly haha

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doyougrok t1_j6i4fdr wrote

Replying to pils-nerd (#1,598,258)

Agreed I haven't had a problem within a month. But, if you don't use it that fast I suggest refrigerating. I've gotten the mold and it's just gross, sure you can kill it with reboiling, but still some yuck factor for me.

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andrewcarbonneau t1_j6i6yqv wrote

Cupboard when unopened and refrigerate when opened, when we boil our own we’ll put whatever we make in the freezer

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whaletacochamp t1_j6i70k0 wrote

Replying to weirdbeardo (#1,598,764)

Depends who your maple guy is. I literally get my maple from the guy down the road but he puts it in actual maple jugs because he owes me about 4gal/year and that’d be way too many mason jars.

It should also be protected from light so a clear jar is a bad choice.

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suzi-r t1_j6ibdga wrote

No…it’s heavenly ambrosia

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suzi-r t1_j6ibgv3 wrote

The real stuff, I mean

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firearrow5235 t1_j6ic2tj wrote

Replying to StellarValkyrie (#1,615,324)

Syrup, when sold in bulk, is sold by weight. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the large sugarmakers are underboiling their syrup just a bit to retain some extra weight. Over a sizeable crop that would result in a much larger payout. Alternatively, and less conspiratorially, they could simply have so much sap to process that quality control falls by the wayside. Regardless, I've always vastly preferred the product of smaller sugarmakers who properly boil the shit out their syrup.

Source: I come from a family that's been sugaring for 4 generations.

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RZRPRINCESS t1_j6io7km wrote

I've heard both options work great but personally, I keep it in the refrigerator.

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Silverfox107 t1_j6islbe wrote

Refrigerator, it can grow mold if it warm enough

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waineofark t1_j6ja6ue wrote

This is not a debate. It will go bad if it's opened and not refrigerated.

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Sea-Diamond-2807 t1_j6jp7t9 wrote

It should be stored in your freezer, old timer native trick many are not aware of!

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angryrovingwitch t1_j6jpjo3 wrote

I have a ton of freezer space so I just put it there. When I need it I take it out to thaw.

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FamousOrphan t1_j6ju5c4 wrote

The cupboard, you fool.

(This was a Detectorists reference; I do not really think you are a fool.)

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TheTrickyThird t1_j6kaazj wrote

Fridge. It will absolutely mold if not and used slow enough

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Ok_Entrepreneur_dbl t1_j6movm2 wrote

I am originally from VT and have relatives that produce Maple syrup. Once opened keep refrigerated.

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