Maple liqueur refers to various

alcoholic Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...

products made from maple syrup, primarily in the Northeast United States and Canada. It is most commonly made by mixing Canadian rye whiskey and Canadian maple syrup. Maple liqueur is considered an important cultural beverage in certain Canadian festivals. In Canadian French, such a product is known as ''eau de vie d'érable''.

History

Maple liqueur is considered to be a traditional part of

Canadian cuisine Canadian cuisine consists of the cooking traditions and practices of Canada, with regional variances around the country. First Nations and Inuit have practiced their own culinary traditions in what is now Canada since time immemorial. The adve ...

, in part because of its components being

Canadian whisky Canadian whisky is a type of whisky produced in Canada. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles.

and Canadian maple syrup. Both of these components have their own unique history in Canadian cuisine. Notably, maple syrup has also been used in maple sap beer in areas such as

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

. The process of mixing alcohol with maple syrup has been practiced traditionally in Canada for an extended period of time, and distilleries make their maple liqueur with these same processes.

Canadian maple syrup

The production of maple syrup was practiced by

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

people in North America, long before Europeans arrived in Canada. First Nations people would collect maple sap in the process of curing meat. The practice of sap collection later was learned by Canadian settlers, who boiled the sap to produce maple syrup. Often, settlers would bore taps into the trees and place a collection bucket underneath it to collect sap. The maple leaf is on the

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and is a symbol of Canadian culture. As well, Agriculture Canada states that maple syrup continues to be introduced into liqueur blends. Modern collecting methods use tubing, connecting multiple maple trees together. The sap is then collected in a storage tank and evaporated using an evaporator. The basic process has not changed, although modern equipments and methods as stated before are now used. In total, Canada produces 71% of the world's pure maple syrup, and 91% of that is produced primarily in

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Canadian whisky

Canadian whisky is described as a grain spirit that has been aged in charred oak barrels for at least three years. The practice originated from Scottish settlers, who brought over their practice from overseas. The primary ingredient is corn, but rye is important as it adds its own distinctive flavor. Currently, there are many brands of Canadian whisky available. Whisky tends to have an alcohol content of around 40%-50%, although this can be increased by means of distillation.

Production

Maple liqueur is not commonly found in liquor stores as it is easy to make at home. The production process is simple and does not require any special equipment. Homemade maple liqueur is both easy to make and inexpensive. It can be enjoyed on its own, in coffee, or in a variety of cocktails. Ingredients needed are some kind of liquor to use as a base, usually

rye whiskey Rye whiskey can refer to two different, but related, types of whiskey: * American rye whiskey, which is similar to bourbon whiskey, but must be distilled from at least 51 percent rye grain * Canadian whisky, which is often referred to as (and ...

. The only other ingredient needed to make maple liqueur is pure maple syrup. Table syrup cannot be used as it is often made with

high fructose corn syrup High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), also known as glucose–fructose, isoglucose and glucose–fructose syrup, is a sweetener made from corn starch. As in the production of conventional corn syrup, the starch is broken down into glucose by enzy ...

and artificial flavouring instead of real maple. Maple syrup comes in different grades, with the grade of a syrup being determined by its colour, clarity, density, and intensity of maple flavour is. As the sap harvesting season progresses, the maple syrup that is produced becomes darker and more caramel in colour. These darker syrups also tend to have the most intense maple flavour, compared to the lighter taste of syrup produced early in the season. Darker syrups create a more intense maple flavour in the liqueur as well and because of this are often preferred when producing maple liqueur. The darker the syrup that is used, the more intense and full bodied the resulting liqueur will taste. The process of making maple liqueur is simple. A distilled spirit and maple syrup are combined. Other spices and ingredients can be added to give different flavors to the liqueur, such as glycerin, honey, or brown sugar. As is with standard aging processes, generally, the longer the liqueur is left to age, the better the final product. After this, the liqueur is ready to be consumed. As mentioned previously, commercially produced maple liqueurs are not very common due to how easy the liqueur is to make at home. They have started to increase in popularity in the early 2010s with

Crown Royal Crown Royal, also known as Seagram's Crown Royal, is a blended Canadian whisky brand created by Seagram and owned by Diageo since 2000. Production of Crown Royal is done at Gimli, Manitoba, while the blending and bottling of the whisky are done ...

, a popular whiskey brand, releasing its Crown Royal Maple Finished whiskey in 2013. Varieties other than whiskey also exist, with cream liqueurs being the second most common type. Examples such as Cabot Trail Maple Cream consist of pure maple syrup added to different combinations of rum, grain alcohols, and in this case fresh cream. Sortilège is another popular Canadian brand based in Montreal that produces three distinct varieties of maple liqueurs: Sortilège Whisky, Sortilège Prestige, and Sortilège Cream.

Usage and consumption

As with all alcoholic beverages, maple liqueur can often be mixed with other beverages for cocktails, and also goes well in coffee.

Beverages

Canadian immigrant

This

shooter Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles can ...

consists of equal portions of

Kahlúa Kahlúa () is a brand of coffee liqueur owned by the Pernod Ricard company and produced in Veracruz, Mexico. The drink contains rum, sugar, and arabica coffee. History Pedro Domecq began producing Kahlúa in 1936. It was named Kahlúa, mean ...

, butterscotch liqueur, and maple liqueur. Usually, these ingredients are mixed in a large shooter glass, and then chased with warm maple syrup.

The waffler

This drink is a favorite at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Simply, a teaspoon of maple syrup is put in first, coating the sides of the glass. Then maple liqueur and Bailey's Irish Cream are added in a shot glass at a 1.5:1 ratio respectively. If done properly, Bailey's Irish Cream should form a layer on top, similarly to other shooters, such as a buttery nipple.

Coffee

Often, coffee can be served in conjunction with Bailey's Irish Cream or Kahlua. As a more culturally Canadian practice, maple liqueur can be used instead to provide smooth sweet maple tones. Maple cream Also known as maple butter, is a dairy less and all-naturally cream made by adding invertase to increase concentration. It is made of 1.5 oz. Maple liqueur and 1 oz. Vanilla Vodka, 4 oz. Vanilla ice cream, 1 scoop of ice, and a dash of maple syrup. The ingredients are evaporated, quickly cooled, stirred and then packaged at room temperature. The process increases the concentration of ingredients to produce a light colored with a smooth, creamy texture cream. Some common uses include as a spread on toast, bagels, muffins, pancakes, doughnuts and other baked goods. Negus This is a warm cocktail made of a mixture of 3 shots Port, 1 shot lemon juice, shot Sugar Maple Liqueur, topped with hot water. Garnish with Nutmeg, dust and drink in a Toddy Glass. Maple cream ale Favoured by Canadians for its refreshing peppermint flavour. It is made of 1.5 oz. Maple liqueur, 4 oz. Cream ale soda, ice, topped with a sprig of mint.

Notable brands

* Sortilège, with their whiskey, prestige, and cream varieties. *

Maple finished whiskey (2013) * Cabot Trail Maple Cream * Tap 357 - Maple Rye Whisky

References

{{reflist, 40em Food made from maple Liqueurs Canadian alcoholic drinks