Under the U.S. grade standards, all pure maple syrup sold in retail containers is Grade A. The rest of the grade name tells you the color class, and there are four: Golden with a delicate taste, Amber with a rich taste, Dark with a robust taste, and Very Dark with a strong taste. Darker syrup has a stronger maple flavor, and which one you pick is a matter of taste, not quality.
The four Grade A classes
These names have been the U.S. standard since March 2, 2015, and they're the same in every maple-producing state and province. Each class pairs a color with a taste:
- Golden, delicate taste. The lightest color and the most subtle maple flavor.
- Amber, rich taste. A more pronounced maple flavor than Golden, but not strong.
- Dark, robust taste. Stronger than Amber, without being sharp or bitter.
- Very Dark, strong taste. The strongest maple flavor of the four.
What decides the class
Mostly color. Graders measure how much light passes through the syrup, using an instrument called a spectrophotometer. Golden lets through 75 percent or more. Amber lets through 50 to 74.9 percent, Dark 25 to 49.9 percent, and Very Dark less than 25 percent.
The flavor has to match. Grade A syrup needs the strength of maple taste you'd expect for its color class, with no off flavors or odors. It also has to be free of cloudiness and sediment.
In Vermont, syrup is graded on four things: color, clarity, density and flavor, and graders taste it to make sure the flavor is right. Density, a measure of sugar content, has to fall between 66.9 and 68.9 degrees Brix, a rule we explain in what Vermont means on a maple syrup label.
Syrup with off flavors or odors can't be Grade A. It's Processing Grade, which has to be packed in containers of 5 gallons or more and can't be sold in consumer-size containers. It can be used to make other products.
When each one is made
Color tends to follow the season. As the weeks go by, syrup darkens and its maple flavor gets more robust.
- Golden is usually made at the start of the season.
- Amber is usually made about mid-season.
- Dark comes later, as the season goes on.
- Very Dark is made at the end of the season.
"Usually" matters here. Syrup differs from producer to producer and from year to year, depending on how it's made and on the weather.
What each one is good for
Here's how the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association suggests using each class. Treat it as a guide, since the association says it comes down to personal preference.
- Golden: pancakes, waffles, yogurt and vanilla ice cream.
- Amber: the all-rounder, from waffles to salad dressings and cocktails.
- Dark: baked goods, glazes, and baked apples or squash.
- Very Dark: cooking and baking, when you want a strong maple flavor.
If you only keep one grade in your kitchen, the association's pick is Amber. For recipes, start with our list of ways to use maple syrup.
Sticky comes in two of the four, both Grade A. For the table there's Amber: warm and smooth with caramel notes, the one that goes on everything. For the oven there's Dark, deep and robust and built for cooking and baking. Our Amber vs. Dark guide goes use by use if you're deciding between them.
Reading the grade on a label
Vermont's rules spell out how the grade appears. The full names pair a color with a taste, like Amber Color and Rich Taste. Every container has to show its grade clearly on the front, only one grade can appear, and all the words of the grade have to be the same size. Syrup made entirely in Vermont carries the word Vermont (or Vt.) with its grade, and Grade A retail containers need a batch code.
These grades are for pure maple syrup. If you're wondering how that compares with pancake syrup, start with real maple syrup vs. pancake syrup. For the rest of the label, read how to read a maple syrup label.
Grade B, renamed
Under the old grading systems, Vermont's among them, Grade B was the name for a darker grade. That syrup is Grade A now, and what happened to Grade B maple syrup tells the rest, including the federal Grade B that was never meant for retail.
