10 Facts You Didn’t Know, About Maple Syrup. In honor of National Maple Syrup Day on Dec. 17, here are ten facts you may not have known. 1. , Canada produces 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup supply. 2. , In Canada, syrup is broken down into four hue-related categories: extra light (AA), light (A), medium (B), #2 amber (C) and #3 dark (d). 3. , The United States' system of syrup categories consists only of a lighter grade a syrup and a darker grade b syrup. . 4. , There’s an organization dedicated to maple syrup called the International Maple Syrup Institute. It was founded in 1975. 5. , Commercial brand syrups are created with inexpensive ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, cellulose gum and caramel coloring. 6. , Roughly 40 gallons of sap are required to make 1 gallon of real maple syrup. . 7. , Most syrup-yielding trees only supply 5 to 15 gallons of sap per season. 8. , In Hadong, Korea, locals have commonly been known to consume over five gallons of maple sap in one sitting. 9. , Rather than use the traditional taps and buckets method, most North American operations use a system of tubing and vacuums. . 10. , Alfred University, located in western New York, offers an official maple production course.
