Forget pancakes. Bree Breckel and Eric Weninger of B&E’s Trees have different ideas for maple syrup. Since 2013, they have produced their signature bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup from sap harvested from 160 acres of sugar maple trees in Viroqua, Wis., in the picturesque Driftless Area. The couple touts the syrup as ideal for culinary and cocktail uses and has myriad recipes on their website for concoctions such as a maple old fashioned and maple glazed salmon.
Previously, Weninger had lived in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood and enjoyed his job doing CO2 emissions reduction research and development for Harley-Davidson, but he was always drawn to nature and woodlands. In 2010, he met Breckel at an Earth Day event in La Crosse, Wis. Breckel was raised on a farm and had worked at People’s Food Co-op. The couple bought a tree farm in 2011 and wanted to create a value-added farm product. Weninger’s great-grandparents had a small orchard and did maple sugaring as a hobby. “I was familiar enough with it that I decided to jump in,” he said.
Weninger and Breckel learned the art of maple sugaring, but the idea for making bourbon barrel aged maple syrup was inspired when they met the owners of Central Waters Brewing at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair. “They said they had always wanted to brew beer that was aged in maple-soaked bourbon barrels, so they were excited to hear that we had syrup, and they had barrels,” he says.
Certified Organic
B&E’s Trees farm is certified organic. They have nutrient and water management plans to protect the bluffs, streams and ecosystems of the Driftless Area. Breckel explains that the syrup season is in early spring, when temperatures are below freezing at night and above freezing during the day. “That’s when the sap is flowing,” she says. “That can start as early as February, and last straight through April. We’ve had seasons two months long, or as short as nine days long.”
Trees must be between 40 and 60 years old before they can be tapped for the first time. The tubing system is set up ahead of time. That infrastructure collects sap from the trees and carries it downhill to a central collecting tank. From there, it’s pumped to the sugar house. It takes 40 to 50 gallons of sap to make each gallon of syrup.
The syrup is aged for two years in empty bourbon barrels. During that time, the maple syrup soaks into the barrel wood and pulls out unique flavors. There’s no alcohol in the syrup, but it picks up a hint of bourbon from the American white oak charred barrels. “You’re really tasting two different trees—the sugar maple and the white oak, which gives a smoky vanilla character. The tannins from the oak help balance out the sweetness,” Weninger says.
In addition to the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup, there’s also the Flight of Fancy, a sampler of syrups made during the early season, the end of the season, and final bourbon barrel aged syrup. Products are available online or at area retailers including Discount Liquor, Larry’s Market, West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shop, Sendik’s, Consumer Beverage, Elsie Mae’s, in Kenosha, and other locations (call ahead for hours and delivery/pickup information during the COVID-19 stay at home order).
The COVID-19 crisis has forced B&E’s Trees to cancel their annual Open House, but they made the best out of the sticky situation by offering a “Closed House” virtual tour. They will also offer a virtual version of their Ramp Fest on April 25, which celebrates the wild allium that’s in season during April. They will sell ramps on their website and ship them directly to people while fresh. Breckel says they will add more virtual spring tours on their website, bandestrees.com, and on Facebook and YouTube. “We have so many explorations to share. Everybody is cooped up right now and looking for connection and experience,” she says.
