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Fermentation · From Bladwijzer

Maple sap wine

Updated on 9 October 2026

• Makes: ± 4 litres
• Time: 1 hr + 3 weeks fermenting + 2 months maturing
• From: Silver maple

Ingredients

• 5 litres fresh maple sap, no more than 3 days old and kept cool
• 600 g sugar
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 sachet wine yeast (5 g)
• 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient (optional)

Method

1. Clean everything that will touch the wine thoroughly and rinse it with boiling water: a 5–6 litre demijohn, airlock, funnel and spoon.
2. Bring the sap to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim, dissolve the sugar in it and leave to cool to 20–25 °C.
3. Stir in the lemon juice and the yeast nutrient. Prepare the yeast as the sachet says and add it.
4. Pour everything into the demijohn with the funnel, leaving at least a fifth empty at the top, because the wine foams at first. Fit the airlock.
5. Keep the demijohn in a dark place at 18–22 °C for 2–3 weeks, until the airlock stops bubbling.
6. Siphon the wine carefully into a clean demijohn, leaving the sediment behind. Leave to mature for 6–8 weeks in a cool, dark place with the airlock on.
7. Siphon the wine into clean bottles, cork them and store them on their sides.

Storing: A year or longer in a cool, dark place; it tastes better after 3 months. The wine contains alcohol (± 8%). Only use fresh sap and keep everything very clean, otherwise the wine can turn sour.