Maple Grading
Maple syrup is graded solely by its color. This difference in color mostly has to do with when the syrup is made. As the spring warms up, the sap coming from the trees becomes darker in color, producing a darker syrup. Corresponding to color, the darker the syrup is, the stronger its flavor.
All retail maple syrup, sold by Ontario producers, regardless of grade, must contain a minimum sugar content of 66 percent and be created exclusively from the concentration of maple sap. At the present time, the Ontario Government and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have adopted the grading standards recommended by the International Maple Syrup Institute
(IMSI).
From light to dark they are:
Golden / Delicate Taste
Amber / Rich Taste
Dark / Robust Taste
Very Dark / Strong Taste
But ALL maple syrup is produced by exactly the same process.
