How To Harvest Birch Tree Sap In A Bottle ( Björksav)
Birch water (björksav) has been a traditional beverage in Scandinavia for centuries. It’s easy to collect your own in early spring, just as the leaves begin to appear. The best part is that you don’t need any fancy equipment to harvest birch tree sap and in this post, I’ll show you how!
Birch sap tastes a little sweet with a slight zing to it and is very refreshing! The flavor can vary depending on location, sunlight, and soil.
Birch tree sap is considered a healthy drink in the Nordic countries beacuse it contains amino acids , vitamin C, is mineral-rich.
The flavor is more complex than maple sap and if you make birch syrup, then you will notice the differnce in flavor which is best descrived as deep caramel or molasses.
Birch sap uses
-Enjoy freshly harvested sap straight from the bottle or as a refreshing drink over a little ice. Add a splash of cordial or fresh fruit juice if you prefer.
-You can also use birch water to make lemon sorbet or if you have enough sap you can make birch syrup which is delicious over ice cream or pancakes.
The low sugar content means you need many gallons of sap and it takes a lot of work to make a quart/ litre of syrup so test it out to see if you like the flavor before you go to the trouble of making a large batch.
-If you’re feeling adventurous you can make Birch Wine, Birch Beer, or a Birch Sap Sour.
-Some regions of the world use birch sap as part of their beauty regime, using it to wash their face and hair.
We are lucky to have a silver birch tree in our garden.
Before you start
– Learn how to identify birch trees: Birch bark, with its characteristic peeling layers, makes it easy to recognize birch trees but you can check out this post from The Spruce and this post by Nature Goupie for further reading.
– Only harvest on private property or ask for permission! Though harvesting doesn’t necessarily harm the tree, it’s important to have permission. Harvesting birch sap is not allowed under Sweden’s ‘Allemansrätt’.
– Don’t harvest from the same tree 2 years in a row.
– Harvest only from healthy trees so as not to stress the tree further.
– Choose larger trees, preferably 30 years old or more. If you are unsure, here is a tree age calculator that you can use.
– Only tap one hole per tree and preferably allow the tree to rest for a few years between tapping.
– It’s important to seal the hole properly after collecting. Use a wooden plug or a piece of birch branch trimmed to size to seal the hole and prevent infection.
By tapping birch trees responsibly and minimizing our impact on the environment, we can ensure that future generations will also have the opportunity to experience the beauty and benefits of these magnificent trees.
When to harvest
– The best time to harvest birch sap is just before the leaves emerge. It’s a deciduous tree, meaning it loses its leaves in the fall. Sap rises from the roots in early spring; usually from late February to the end of April depending on your location.
If you harvest too early the tree will still be in hibernation. Wait too long sap is said to taste bitter.
– Daytime temperatures of around 46°F/ 8°C is usually a good time to set up a tap.
– In Southern Sweden, the best time to harvest is early April. I’ve been fooled by a few weeks of sun in late March and set things up without any luck.
How to collect birch sap in a bottle
There are a few different ways to collect small amounts of birch sap, depending on how much sap you want to harvest. If you plan to harvest large volumes of birch sap, you can invest in a tree-tapping kit. They usually include a long tube that can be attached to a larger vessel that rests on the ground.
Method 1:
This method allows you to collect larger amounts of sap at a faster rate.
You will need:
- A straw ( I use silicon, but you can use what you have on hand) or spout specially designed for gathering sap.
- A clean glass or plastic bottle (a narrow mouth is useful for preventing debris and insects from entering)
- String to secure the bottle
- A power drill or hand drill with a medium-sized drill bit. ( try to match the bit size with the size of your straw or spout
- A healthy tree of the birch family
1. Drill a small hole ( 2 inches deep )at a slight upward angle into the tree trunk, close to the base of the tree. You should see some sap begin to seep out of the hole. If not, you can try drilling a little deeper.
If you still don’t see any sap, it may be too early in the year for your location. Plug the hole as in step 3 and return in a week to try again. You should be able to remove the plug and therefore don’t need to drill a new hole.
2. Snugly insert a straw or spout into the hole. Hold the bottle in place and insert the end of the straw or spout into the bottle. To hold the bottle in place, make a few loops around the bottleneck with the string, wrap it around the tree, and tie a double knot.
You should see the sap flow into the bottle. It can be a slow, steady drip, or even a steady pour if you have good luck.
It should not leak around the tap hole!
Depending on the speed of the flow, check often to see that the bottle doesn’t overflow!
3. Seal the hole properly after collecting!
Use a wooden plug or a piece of birch branch trimmed to size to seal the hole and prevent infection.
You want it to be a tight seal, so use a hammer or rock to gently knock the plug into place. Use a cloth to wipe around the hole; you should not see any new sap.
It’s always a good idea to check back after a few days to be sure that the tree is not still ‘bleeding’.
Method 2:
This method is the easiest way if you just want to collect a little sap. It’s also the least invasive way as it doesn’t disturb the rest of the tree.
You will need:
– A sharp knife or garden pruners
– A plastic bottle. Plastic bottles weigh less than glass bottles and are therefore more suitable for this method.
– String
– A mature tree of the birch family.
1. Use a sharp knife or garden pruners to snip the end of a branch.
2. Insert the branch into a bottle and secure it with string.
3. You should see the first drops of birch water start to form on the tip of the branch. Depending on the flow of the sap you can leave the bottle for a few hours to fill.
Storage
Unfortunately, fresh birch sap won’t keep for long even if you keep it refrigerated.
Frozen in an airtight container it will keep for 2 years. We love to make birch water and mint ice cubes to add to summer drinks and cocktails.
Let me know in the comments below if you harvest your own Björksav and how you enjoyed it!
If you have any further questions, you can ask them here, and I will do my best to answer them!
Holly
xx
I was looking for something sweet and unusual to add to a chilled vodka for an aperitif, this was wonderful and so unusual. Highly recommend this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!