Maple Syrup Yield Calculator
Syrup gallons from taps, sap flow, and sugar.
What it does
Maple syrup is mostly boiled away water: dozens of gallons of thin sap reduce to one gallon of syrup. Tap count sets the sap pool while sugar percent sets the exchange rate, so both numbers matter equally.
The tool above takes taps, sap per tap, and sugar percent. It returns sap total with finished syrup and the Jones rule ratio beside them, in gallons or liters.
The defaults run 5 taps at 10 gal each with 2% sugar: 50 gal of sap at 43 to 1 boils to 1.16 gal of syrup. The metric mirror (37.9 L per tap) gives 189.5 L of sap with 4.41 L of syrup.
The ratio follows Cornell maple guidance with Penn State matching it: about 43 gallons of sap per gallon at 2% sugar, 40 as the round average. Both describe the same 86 over sugar percent rule.
How to use
- Pick imperial (gallons) or metric (liters).
- Enter tap count.
- Enter season sap per tap.
- Enter measured sugar percent.
- Read sap total first.
- Read finished syrup beside it.
Formula
- 86
- Jones rule constant for sap to syrup.
- sugar%
- Sap sweetness; 2 is typical for sugar maple.
- sap
- Season gallons (or liters) collected.
Sweet sap boils less: 3% needs under 29 gallons per gallon while 1% needs 86. Vacuum tubing raises sap per tap and reverse osmosis shrinks boil time, but neither changes the final sugar ratio.
Worked example
Example: 5 taps, 10 gal each, 2% sugar
Defaults: imperial, 5 taps, 10 gal per tap, 2% sugar.
- Sap: 5 x 10 = 50 gal.
- Ratio: 86 / 2 = 43 to 1.
- Syrup: 50 / 43 = 1.16 gal.
- Tool shows 50 gal sap, 1.16 gal syrup, 43 to 1.
- Metric mirror gives 189.5 L sap, 4.41 L syrup.
- At 2.5% the same 120 gal run gives 3.49 gal.
Reference table
| Sugar | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | 86 to 1 | Thin |
| 2% | 43 to 1 | Typical |
| 2.5% | 34.4 to 1 | Sweet |
| 3% | 28.7 to 1 | Very sweet |
Limits
- Rule of 86 is approximate.
- Late season sugar drops fast.
- Spoiled or buddy sap excluded.
- Boil losses and filtering sit outside.
Common mistakes
- Planning on 40 to 1 with 1% sap.
- Counting taps without sap per tap.
- Boiling thin late sap the same way.
- Skipping sugar testing entirely.
- Storing sap warm before boiling.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
10 taps, 12 gal each, 2.5%?
120 gal sap at 34.4 to 1 gives 3.49 gal.
1% sap per gallon?
86 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup.
Why test sugar?
Each point of sugar halves or doubles the boiling load.
Questions
How much sap per gallon of syrup?
About 43 gallons at 2% sugar; 86 divided by sugar percent.
What is Jones rule?
Gallons of sap per gallon of syrup equal 86 over sap sugar percent.
How much sap per tap?
Roughly 10 gallons a season on gravity; vacuum gives more.
Does sugar vary?
Yes by tree, weather, and season; test with a refractometer.
Red vs sugar maple?
Sugar maples run sweeter near 2%; reds often run thinner.
When does season end?
Bud break turns sap buddy and unfit for syrup.