Emma Discovering what makes Birch sap special with Buck and Birch
Founded in 2016, Buck and Birch is known for creating drinks that celebrate the wonders of the wild and the incredible ingredients nature has to offer.
We joined Tom Chisholm and Rupert Waites to tap sap birch, forage and learn what makes Buck & Birch special.
Starting with a forage with Rupert around the woods where he showcased his knowledge of the nature surrounding us. Most of us know about nettles and wild garlic, today we discovered how to add ground elder and cow parsley to our foraging list.
The team at Buck & Birch work with this woodland near to their distillery to tap the sap from the trees and a responsible and sustainable way. Tapping this sap provides income to the community woodland, which funds its upkeep.
Rupert has a deep love for these woods, and so he should. Did you know that Birch trees play a vital role in nature? They are. known as a pioneer species as they will be amongst the first trees to occupy land. The tree stablisies the soil, enabling further reforestation and reconstruction of the ecosystem.
This bringing of life to what was once barren ground has meant that in some cultures birch trees as seen as a symbol of renewal and strength.
We were shown how the sap is harvested, with a small drill hole and a tap attached. This sap can be used neat or made into a syrup. Ian from Panda & Sons, Number 30 in the Worlds 50 best bars, described it as “Scottish coconut water”.
Birch water offers numerous nutrients such as magnesium.
Talking of Panda & Sons earlier, we stopped off on the way back to try out the Wilderness cocktail which has Aelder wild elderberry elixir as an ingredient. Perfect for a sunny day, evening, anytime!
