Birch sap

What it is

Birch sap is a clear, slightly sweet liquid that flows from the damaged bark of birch trees in spring during the sap flow season. In the Carpathians, this is a short season: a few weeks at the end of March and in April, until the leaves on the trees have unfurled.

In Hutsulshchyna, birch sap is consumed as a 'vitamin drink' — as noted by researchers from the National Nature Park 'Hutsulshchyna' in Verkhovyna and Kosiv. Hutsuls from Ukrainian Bukovina told ethnobotanists that they drink the sap fresh, add it to homemade kvass, and even make strong beverages from it. In the spring, they also drink the sap of the sycamore — mountain maple.

In Ukraine, birch sap can only be collected for personal use without special permission on one's own property; in forests, collection is regulated by forestry rules, and in protected areas, it is restricted or prohibited. So, taste it in villages, from hosts who have their own birches.

History and name

Birch sap as a beverage is known throughout Ukraine: Zofia Klynowecka mentioned it as early as 1913 in her book 'Dishes and Drinks in Ukraine'. In the second half of the 20th century, sap was mass-collected by forestry enterprises, and 'birch sap' made from water, citric acid, and sweeteners appeared on store shelves. Real sap has a season of only a few weeks a year.

Ingredients and allergens

Birch sap—Spring birch sap is clear and slightly sweet; Hutsuls drink it fresh and add it to homemade kvass.

Contains allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the traditional recipe
Diet: lenten · vegan · gluten-free · no cooking

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is made

Sap is collected in spring when the birch awakens: a shallow hole is made in the trunk, a trough is inserted, and a container is placed underneath, after which the hole is closed to avoid harming the tree. Fresh sap quickly ferments, so it is consumed in the first days or set to ferment for kvass.

Where it is eaten

The area is approximate and based on the sources below. The dish is cooked outside it too, and ethnographic borders are blurred.

Hutsulshchyna (Verkhovyna and Kosiv districts) and Bukovynska Hutsulshchyna — this is where the custom was recorded by ethnobotanists. Birch grows throughout the Carpathians; birch sap is consumed all over Ukraine.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Everyday food

In tradition

Birch sap is a sign of spring in Carpathian villages: it is consumed until the leaves on the birches have unfurled. For Hutsuls, the birch is a familiar, native plant: it is even mentioned in a children's counting rhyme 'Are you an oak, or a birch, or a sour kulesha?'.

Safety

Sap is collected only with the permission of the tree owner or forestry enterprise and in a way that does not harm the tree; in protected areas, this is restricted or prohibited. Fresh sap spoils quickly: keep it cold and drink it fresh.

FAQ