HEy Kip,
I had a friend from Vermont who told me that guys would collect many gallons of sap, and then to concentrate it down it had to be boiled for at least 24 hours. They'd cook it in huge vats all night long. But they would just make it into one big social party. They'd all get together and drink and party, and keep throwing wood on the fire to keep the vats boiling. And yeah, it takes a lot of sap just to make a little bit of syrup. I've heard in its natural state it tastes kinda bitter, but hours of boiling concentrates the sugars until it's sweet. I love real maple syrup..I can't stand that fake Log cabin junk.