CATEGORY

Pure Maple Syrup

2008 CHEFSBEST® AWARD FOR BEST TASTE WINNER

Maple Grove

What Makes a Great Maple Syrup?

You never know when the mood will strike for pancakes or waffles. After making the batter and heating the griddle, you’d better have plenty of maple syrup on hand. A favorite pancake or waffle topping, it delivers deep, earthy tones along with a singular sweetness.

Our chefs define high quality pure maple syrup as having a dark amber coloring, with a viscosity that falls midway between water and molasses. The syrup should be clear, not cloudy, and no particulates should be visible. Its moderate aroma should have a complex character with possible notes of vanilla, caramel, wood, citrus, butter, floral and smoke — none of which should spike the others. Naturally, there should be no off or out-of-character notes that detract from the overall aroma.

A pure maple syrup's taste balance is achieved when it delivers pronounced sweetness as its predominant basic taste. Salt and bitter should be barely, if at all, detectable.

Pronounced maple syrup flavor should be the only component in the flavor profile. It should display a complex blend of notes identical to those found in the syrup's aroma character — vanilla, caramel, wood, citrus, butter, floral and smoke — and none should stand out too much. The flavor is expected to hold its own in application atop pancakes or waffles.

Texturally, a top quality pure maple syrup will demonstrate a moderate mouthweight while offering a comparably moderate dissolve. A lengthy aftertaste should persevere after the syrup has cleared, but the finish should not be cloyingly sweet. It should maintain enough thickness to not simply slide off the pancakes or waffles, while being absorbed at no more than a moderate rate.

Product Category Definition

The category judged was defined for the consumer market, not including flavored specialty syrups, chocolate or caramel syrups, or pancake syrups.

Other Leading Brands:

Spring Tree