The Steam in the Trees: The Making of Maple Syrup
A documentary by Jake Jakubowski
About the documentary
Treehouse Brand Maple is proud to be the subject of the short documentary The Steam in the Trees: The Making of Maple Syrup, a film that captures the seasonal process, craftsmanship, and imagination behind one of Maine’s most distinctive sugarhouses.
Set in Auburn, Maine, the documentary takes viewers inside Treehouse Brand Maple’s one-of-a-kind treehouse sugarhouse and follows the brief but beautiful window when maple season comes to life. From the first signs of thaw in the late-winter woods to the final pour of finished syrup, the film explores how maple sap is transformed into syrup through patience, heat, timing, and care.
The Steam in the Trees is more than a documentary about how maple syrup is made, it is a story about place, A story about process, and a story about the pride of building something truly different.
The film brings viewers into the woods at the moment winter begins to loosen its grip, when the sap starts to move inside the maple trees and the season quietly begins. From there, it follows the journey step by step, tapping trees, collecting sap, bringing it into the sugarhouse, boiling it down, filtering it, and bottling the finished syrup. Along the way, the documentary highlights both the natural beauty of maple season in Maine and the hard work required to meet that short window of time.
At the center of the film is Treehouse Brand Maple itself, not just as a place where syrup is made, but as a place shaped by imagination. The documentary tells the story of the train-style treehouse sugarhouse and the creative idea that brought it to life, showing how an unusual vision became a memorable destination for visitors, families, and maple lovers alike.
Through warm visuals, thoughtful narration, and a close look at the maple-making process, The Steam in the Trees offers a deeper appreciation for what goes into every bottle of syrup. It reveals the labor behind the sweetness, the tradition behind the craft, and the seasonal rhythm that makes maple sugaring one of Maine’s most cherished traditions.
Meet the Director
Jake Jakubowski is an independent filmmaker, director, and producer whose work centers on telling human stories with authenticity and emotional depth. Working primarily in documentary form, he approaches each project with a focus on connection both between subject and audience, and within the communities he documents. His filmmaking style blends observational storytelling with a strong sense of place, often drawing from real-world experiences to highlight resilience, creativity, and the everyday moments that define people’s lives. Through his work, Jakubowski aims to create films that are not only informative, but deeply personal and widely accessible, reflecting a commitment to sharing meaningful stories with a broad audience.
