It takes around 40 gallons of maple sap to produce a gallon of syrup, according to one rule of thumb. You wouldn’t want to pour the un-concentrated stuff on your pancakes, though: Sap right out of the tree is watery and far from sticky-sweet. But if you carbonate that slightly sugary sap, you’ll have yourself a sparkling, lightly sweet beverage.
This is the premise of several carbonated beverages from the great state of Vermont, a land of flapjacks and maple syrup. Each winter, countless trees are tapped, with a bucket placed against the trunk to collect the dripping sap. The resulting beverage is light and has just a hint of maple syrup taste. If you’re used to pouring syrup on your breakfast, the subtleness might be a bit surprising. That said, you can always opt for maple soda, which is strengthened with a pour of real maple syrup.
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![Alex Mayyasi](https://img.atlasobscura.com/EJ3zzS3vjeq0K6Gw-dxM9Kiy3IMhWGP6q_tJG_sQ3oA/rs:fill:41:41:1/g:ce/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS8y/MDE4LzAzLzI0LzAz/LzM3LzMxLzNmYzky/MzkyLWYwYWYtNDg0/ZC04NTUxLWZmZTE3/YzRmYWU0NS9JTUdf/MTg1Ni5qcGc.jpg)