foodsources
savour a new flavour Umami-rich birch syrup is Manitoba ' s darker liquid gold. By Laurie Hughes
Canada is synonymous with maple— the tree that has shaped our country’ s history, its leaf on our flag, and syrup that is prized worldwide. Yet another Canadian syrup, darker, less sweet, and more savoury, is slowly gaining popularity among food lovers and tourists alike: birch syrup. While maple syrup is commonly associated with pancakes and waffles, birch syrup offers a more versatile profile, ideal for sauces, marinades, and even beverages like cocktails and ice cream. It’ s becoming known for its deep, woody flavour, adding a new dimension to culinary creations.
Glenda and Rory Hart, owners of Canadian Birch Company( CBC), are passionate advocates for birch syrup. Their Manitoba-based company is unique within a market space centered in the west.
The story of CBC began in 2010 when a walk through their newly purchased property led Glenda and Rory to discover more birch trees on a neighbouring parcel of land. This unexpected find sparked a
16 ciao! / apr / may / two thousand twenty-five conversation about how to utilize these trees. After researching birch products online, they were drawn to birch syrup as a unique and sustainable option. Driven by a desire to responsibly steward the land, the Harts bought the neighbouring 80-acre property, which added mature, tappable birch trees to their existing 160 acres. By 2012, after intensive learning and securing a government research and development grant, CBC was officially launched.
Birch syrup production closely resembles maple syrup production, but due to lower sugar content, the sap-to-syrup ratio for birch syrup is 160:1, compared to the 40:1 ratio typical for maple syrup. This higher sap-to-syrup ratio makes the process costlier, more time-consuming and labor-intensive.
One of the early challenges for the Harts was clearing access roads into the forest without damaging the precious resource they were working to preserve. With careful planning they were able to minimize the
Photography: Canadian Birch Company