GREAT NORTHERN MAPLE
Great Northern Maple Products
We Sell Only Government Inspected Maple Syrup
OUR SYRUP COMES FROM QUEBEC, CANADA
80% OF THE WORLD’S PRODUCTION COMES FROM THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC!
Under Quebec Agricultural law, “Every Drum” of maple syrup must be inspected at the time of purchase for Color, Taste & Purity by Government approved inspectors who determine the grades and purity of the syrup prior to their being emptied and repacked.
T
he United States has no such
grading requirements, therefore under most circumstances, syrup produced and
or packed in the USA is only spot inspected once it hits the store shelves.
These inspections are mostly only made in maple producing states such as
Vermont, N. H. & New York which have vested interests in the product.
SYRUP ADULTERATION OR MISGRADING
Maple Syrup is purchased by grade.
The higher the grade “the lighter the color” the more it cost. Packers can make more money by putting one grade in the container and writing a higher grade on the label.
Maple Syrup can be and at times has been adulterated with cheaper sugars like, cane, beet, corn and glucose by unscrupulous packers.
Great Northern is a company you can trust to supply Government Inspected Pure Maple Syrup, whether you desire Conventional, No Formaldehyde used or Organic.
The Taste of Real Pure Maple Can Not be Imitated.
Flavor Profiles:
A distinctive flavor of it’s own, maple has different flavor profiles depending on the grades which range from very light and delicate to a dark robust flavor. As we all have our own flavor preferences for wine, ice cream, tea and beer, the same holds true for maple. All grades are good, personal preference determines which grade people buy.
Invert sugars in pure maple syrup
The darker the maple syrup, the higher the quantity of invert sugars. High invert maple syrup (Darker grades) do not crystallize easily so are recommended for applications where you want the syrup to remain liquid such as basting, baking, etc.
Best way to make sure, is to try it yourself.
See the Following for Taste Profiles and Recommended uses of Each Grade.
THE GRADES
Maple grading is based on purity, color and flavor. The USA and Canadian Grading criteria are exact for the most part but have different name designations
Different grades of pure maple syrup are produced at different times during the production season from February through mid May depending on the weather.
US Grade A Light Amber:
Canada No. 1 – Extra Light: ( AA )
Produced during the first part of the production season this grade is very light in color and extremely delicate in flavor. It is normally consumed by the producers themselves and predominantly sold in maple production areas only because it’s taste is not strong enough for consumers used to strong flavored foods, and also because only 5 to 15 % of a producers crop is this grade. It is very compatible with other fruit flavors when cooking or manufacturing with it as it brightens the flavor of fruits instead of masking them.
This is the “Beaujolais Nouveau” of the Maple World.
US Grade A Medium Amber:
Canada No. 1 – Light: ( A )
This grade is also produced during the first part and into middle of the production season, but some years it has been made towards the end as well when weather conditions are perfect. Delicate in flavor with a stronger maple taste, it too is light in color but darker than the “Light Grade.” Again this grade is normally consumed by the producers themselves and is found from time to time around the world in limited venues. Apx. 20 to 35 % of the crop is this grade depending on the season. Like wine, some people like a more subtle taste profile while others like a very strong taste. This grade appeals to the former and works well with fruits as well
US Grade A Dark Amber:
Canada No. 1 – Medium: ( B )
Ole standby we call this grade as it is the most widely distributed around the world. A medium color and more flavorful than the first 2 grades. This grade has become what is traditionally recognized as real pure maple syrup. There are several reasons for this.
Over the years this grade was the most abundantly produced, 35 to 50 % of a producers crop has traditionally been this grade. It is very easy to darken maple syrup by blending it with other grades but very difficult to lighten, therefore more of this grade can be made available by simply blending in the other lighter grades and a little of a darker grade thereby making apx. 80% of the pure maple syrup crop into a widely acceptable consumer product.
This blending of grades provides for a greater supply of consumer grade maple syrup to be distributed to a larger market and therefore, over the years the taste and color of this blend became the standard which most consumers have become accustomed to and therefore prefer.
This practice still holds true today.
All packers blend different drums of syrup together when they fill their heating tanks. This allows for a greater degree of product standardization, something that consumers and buyers are calling for more and more. The fact of the matter is that “every drum, and actually every batch of drums of maple syrup tastes different.” The blending however allows packers to keep the batch color and taste profiles much closer together than if they only packed one drum at a time.
US Grade B “Commercial ”: We refer to this grade as US B – 1
Canada No. 2 – Amber: ( C )
This grade separates the men from the boys. It is noteworthy to mention here that Canada has 2 separate grades for this syrup while the USA only has one. This allows Canadian packers to separate this US grade B into 2 separate grades allowing for a much better quality control for their uses.
This grade is a dark color and has a very pronounced maple flavor. It is traditionally marketed for cooking, baking, granola making and such and is best suited for use in Ice Cream, Candy and Yogurt.
If a proper selection is made for packing, the top half of this grade ( Canada No. 2 Amber ) is an excellent product for sales to consumers who like strong flavored food and drink. It is especially appreciated in the US South and Midwest where consumer tastes are more accustomed to molasses and sorghum type products, but people from all over the world have enjoyed it’s taste as well.
Grade B – “Commercial grade”: We refer to this grade as US B – 2
Canada No. 3 – Dark: ( D )
This grade is what we call “everything else.” If the syrup does not meet the criteria for the first 4 grades it defaults to this grade. Even some of the first 4 grades in “color” may become this grade due to poor or off flavor characteristics. It is an extremely dark color similar to that of lighter molasses and can have an off flavor. One needs to be very careful when buying this grade. This grade is best suited for use in blended table syrups and other non dairy or fruit based products when 5% or less is used.
( Our own Grade designation ) GRADE B – SPECIAL C-D Blend
In order to remain cost competitive and give manufacturers a “SUPERIOR PRODUCT” we have developed what we call our US “B” Special Blend. This syrup can be used without worry of off flavor characteristics coming through into Yogurt, Ice Cream and other finished goods where a pronounced maple flavor is desired.
Our Grade B, Special blend is (more or less depending on taste) 75%, Grade B - 1 ( Canada No. 2 Amber ) and the top good tasting 25% of Grade B - 2 (Canada #3 Dark) mixed together. This product carries a bit of a premium over straight US Grade B because when you buy the straight grade US “B” you never know what you are getting.
It has become the choice of discerning manufacturers who need a good price and a great product.
HI-FLAVOR MAPLE SYRUP CONCENTRATE:
This pure maple syrup is used by candy, fudge and other type manufacturers who want a stronger maple flavor to come through in their product while using less volume of maple syrup.
We make this concentrate with the Good Tasting half of the ( Grade B - 2 ) and put it through a flavor developing process which takes 2 1/2 days.
A little of this goes a longer way than simply using the grade B - 2 alone and guarantees a good tasting standard flavor profile to the user.
This product could be offered to consumers in small bottles for uses similar to vanilla, butter scotch and such extracts. The difference is that it is not alcohol based, does not contain preservatives like the other flavors often do and therefore it is an all natural product which needs to be refrigerated after opening.
Grades
Organic Standards
Specifications
Glycemic Index
