Does Maple Syrup Need To Be Kept In The Refrigerator?

How is maple syrup made?

Pure maple syrup is a one-ingredient sweetener made from boiled maple tree sap. It takes a lot of sap to produce a relatively tiny amount of syrup: At Baird Farm in Vermont, 90 percent of the water is removed in the first step of the process. The concentrated sap is then boiled until sweetened to 67 percent sugar.

“We bring maple syrup up to that density for a reason, because it’s a stable spot for maple syrup to sit,” says Jacob Powsner, who runs the retail end of the fourth generation farm with his partner, Jenna Baird. “If it was more liquidy it would be more prone to ferment; if it was more solid, it would be more prone to crystallize.”

The syrup is then filtered and hot-packed into 40 or 55-gallon drums, where it’s stored until it’s re-filtered and bottled.

What’s the difference between maple syrup and pancake syrup?

Pancake syrup like the Log Cabin I grew up with, or “fake syrup,” as some Vermonters refer to it, has cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or other syrups cut into it to make it cheaper. (And in some cases, there’s no real maple syrup in it at all). If you’re not sure which is which at the store, the easiest thing to do is look at the ingredient label.

Unopened maple syrup of any kind can be stored in a cool, dark place until you’re ready to use it, ideally within two years. But once opened, pure maple syrup should be stored in the refrigerator. This is less about safety (the heat packing process prevents contamination) than it is about quality, as leaving it out increases the likelihood of mold.

This thin film of mold isn’t as dangerous as it is unappetizing. To salvage the syrup, you can skim off the mold or strain the syrup, then reheat it to restore its flavor, Powsner says.

When kept in the fridge with the cap screwed on tightly (which prevents crystallization), syrup packaged in glass or translucent plastic will last about two years before its quality starts to decline, Thomas says. Opaque plastic doesn’t have as strong of an air barrier, so the syrup might start picking up flavors of other things in the fridge after about six months. At this point it’s still perfectly good for cooking or baking. These rules are the same regardless of grade (Golden, Amber, Dark, or Very Dark).

Pancake syrups, on the other hand, are often made with preservatives, meaning they can be stored at room temperature even after they’re opened. (Maybe my family wasn’t wrong after all!) But if the bottle doesn’t specifically say that you can store at room temperature, then it’s best to just refrigerate it.

Can I freeze maple syrup?

Yes! Freezing maple syrup doesn’t have any negative impact, making it a great way to store it long term, Powsner says. In fact, it can be stored in the freezer indefinitely. If it’s in a small plastic jug, you can freeze as-is. Otherwise, pour the syrup into glass mason jars, leaving one inch at the top to account for expansion. It can be thawed in the fridge or on the counter, depending on how quickly you need it.

Thomas also gives a thumbs up to freezing, though she has a better solution if you’re slow to go through a bottle: Keep it right where you can see it so you remember to use it more often.

“It’s a sweetener and should be used in things like coffee and tea,” she says. “And I always like to tell people it tastes pretty good on anything orange. So carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, peaches, salmon—the flavor of maple goes really well on those things. I also love it on ice cream.”