The birch syrup was delivered earlier than the estimate. My first reaction on trying a small bit was that it tastes like cough syrup, but I needed to run a full test, which I did this morning on some french toast.
Birch syrup is dark and thin and has a strong tangy, slightly metallic taste to me. I did not care for the flavor. I did not finish my breakfast. The maple industry has nothing to fear.
I guess it was worth trying once, but like I said, it was an expensive experiment. My curiosity is quelled if not a bit roughly spanked. I need to find someone to whom I can pass along this jug. Anyone have a red-headed stepson?
French toast looks delicious although itās too bad it was ruined with birch syrup! This is Abby from The Gateway Farm. We tried to get Woot to write in the description that it is NOT a table syrup - and should not be compared to maple for so many reasons.
Birch syrup should be used as an ingredient it makes amazing marinades for meat, great salad dressings and more. I hope you will look through our website for recipes or google ābirch syrup recipesā to find what it will be better in! We appreciate your purchase, but try another recipe before you hand it off - you may be surprised!
I purchased it when it was available on woot. Unfortunately FedEx delivered it to my neighbor and they didnāt give it back (I have security cameras)
So I actually purchased off their website since the price as noted is a penny difference. It was shipped promptly and delivered by the USPS. (I am glad cause if they stole it again it would be a federal offense)
First note, it smells smokey. You can smell a darker run than maple syrup. A problem I have with maple syrup is that maple syrup tries to mimic aunt jemimah now to have a clean taste. Maple Syrup and Birch syrup should have a distinct flavor with a bit of tang for the higher end ones. This definitely has a distinct flavor and tang. The person above is not wrong but I think he was thinking it was more like cheaper maple syrup. It does have a slight metallic taste but that is the same with late run maple syrup too but just most places filter out the minerals and they try to mask the taste to get a bland product. Honestly Costco Maple Syrup is good and the price is good if you want that type of syrup to drench your pancakes.
I know a bit more about maple syrup because I have done small production runs of making my own with some trees in my backyard. I totally understand now why it costs what it does and my production runs all have similar smokiness and metallic taste that this birch syrup has. I have given it to my friends and some love it and some find its not their thing. I understand it and I think its more like scotch. Some love that iodine smokiness that comes from a good Islay and some detest it and would rather drink a Johnnie Walker and think thatās just fine. To each their own. But this is something that definitely needs to be tried at least once and I think Abby is absolutely right that its not really a table syrup but food for recipes and marinades. I think I am going to add a bit to my cereal to see the flavor come through. Although I think its fine just straight.
Oh I forgot to note, I also purchased the Bourbon Maple Syrup which I did not have yet and the Raw Honey which actually is raw honey versus many places that claim its raw but its actually filtered. I really like this honey and its priced competitively. you can see the pollen mixed in and wax as it comes in a semi solid off yellow paste versus honey consistency. Again its something that you should not come in thinking it will be like normal honey.
After mine defrosted, I tried it as a sweetener in my oatmeal. I thought it was very good, but also very strong - I can see why it wasnāt a hit as a maple syrup replacement on pancakes, because the taste is so strong that it would overwhelm everything else. I think Iāll continue to use it in small quantities.
