Post tuesday, 6-25-2014 Talkeetna to Achorage--Kahilta Birchworks-Birch Syrup

Post Tuesday 6-25-2014 Talkeetna to Anchorage

We pulled out of Talkeetna feeling as though we left someone behind. We both  liked  the small village (town) and really wanted to stay for a few more days, but the RV park was full and booked up solid and there weren't any free places to park. Maybe we just didn't look hard enough. Anyway, Wasilla and Anchorage was awaiting us so we left. Weather was a bit wet as well.

                                

On the way out we stopped at the Kahiltna Birchworks,  a  Birch Syrup  producer and maker of Alaska Gold Nuggets, which is a  Birch Cream Caramel Candy. And, boy, is it delicious. They produce many other products that have birch syrup as an ingredient, i.e. jams, ice cream toppings, Low Bush Cranberry Sauce , a Gold Birch-Oraange Mustard (umm, delicious) and a 80%Honey and 20% Birch Syrup (also very delicious), Birch-Blueberry Syrup, Birch-Rasberry-Rhubarb Syrup. It is in demand by many chef's all over Europe. 

 Lucy, who doubles as a retail clerk and tour guide  gave us a short tour , briefing, history and samples of the different flavors the syrups produced. She explained how the sap was collected from the birch trees to include when and how. It's basically the same way as collecting maple sap Next she said that it took 10, 000 gallons of sap to make 100 gallons of syrup. The sap, containing .8-1.5% sugar looks and taste like water right out of the tree. Concentrating the sugars to 67%  by reverse-osmosis and evaporation in a syrup evaporator gives the syrup it's fine color and taste. The strength of flavor is determined by when the syrup is processed. 

The name, "Kahiltna " is an Athabascaan word meaning "from the source". the Athabascan word for the  (Mt McKinley) mountain is "Denali, which means the "great one". The trees gather water from the great one mountain water. Thus the name of their syrup is "Kahiltna Gold".  The birch trees are far from human habitation, pure and clean-as is the air, making it a pure birch syrup free of pesticides, herbicides and other pollutants

Birch syrup is nutritious. The predominate natural sugar found in birch syrup is fructose. In maple syrup it is sucrose. Fructose is more easily digested and assimilated by our bodies than sucrose.  The syrup contains significant quantities of calcium, potassium, manganese, and other nutrients. It is collected in northern boreal forests. It is Organic--read that fellow diabetics.  It's good for you.

This small company produces around 1500 gallons of birch  syrup each year from 135,000 gallons of sap from 16,000 Birch trees, each tapped every three years then plugged after the season (about six weeks to two months). They are the largest known producer of Birch Syrup and Birch Syrup products. I think that is truly amazing for just two people who started the company and made it successful for the last 25 years. The owners live by a small lake in the middle of Alaska and to get there you either fly in or travel 32 miles through the forest and lakes on a snowmobile or four wheeler ATV. Tires require chains in the winter.

Thank you "Lucy" for an excellent presentation. Your knowledge of your products is commendable. You are a wonderful, beautiful person who was pleasant to listen to and your friendly sincere smile is infectious. We wish you all the best in your future.. GOD Bless. Read our blog and should you ever be near, let us know. We would love seeing you again.

From Tree to bottle 

Hope you can read it

Lucy- our lovely tour guide

Step 1 of reverse osmosis machine-water separation

Step 2 of reverse osmosis and water purifier

Evaporator-  bucket on right is syrup collector after evaporation operation

Samples of flavors/strengths of syrup. left to right from light to heavy flavors

Lucy explaining the mixture and sorting process

There was no stopping for photos between Talkeetna and Anchorage. We did stop at the Visitors center in Wasilla and collect flyers on Anchorage and surrounding areas for sight seeing or visiting. It rained all the way and visibility was poor.  We spent the first night just outside of the city in a pull off across  the highway from the regional & international airport. Rained all night

Next Morning when it quit raining.