Mason jar bottling

[BriJack]

I have a question about bottling in Mason jars. When I finish my syrup I get it to the right brix and filter it. Then we store it till we are ready to can it. Now when we can it we get the syrup to temp then we put it in the jars and then into the water bath for 10 minutes.

Is the syrup getting over done by putting it in the water bath after getting it to temp? It is boiling a little when it comes out of the water bath.

Thanks for any input.

[NH/Pete]

If it's boiling you've gone too far.

You don't need the water bath. Use clean and sterilized jars.
Bring the syrup up to 185-190* and bottle. Lay the jars on their side and your done.

[Ausable]

I have a question about bottling in Mason jars. When I finish my syrup I get it to the right brix and filter it. Then we store it till we are ready to can it. Now when we can it we get the syrup to temp then we put it in the jars and then into the water bath for 10 minutes.

Is the syrup getting over done by putting it in the water bath after getting it to temp? It is boiling a little when it comes out of the water bath.

Thanks for any input.

Here is how we do it - Put Your rings and lids in a pan and cover with water and bring to a boil. Have your jars washed and filled with hot water standing in sink. Bring maple syrup up to about 195F. Dump water from jars as you need them and place in empty sauce pan (to catch spillage) fill jars with hot syrup. use tongs to grab a ring and lid from pan (no longer necessary to have boiling) and tighten on jar. The water bath method isn't needed for maple syrup -- But _ like everything else - some folks think it is --- Mike

[Ausable]

Have heard of Folks laying their jars on there sides -- have never done this - as a bit timid with hot syrup. Very rarely do we have a jar that dosen't seal or looses seal later. Is the jar on the side method better? -- Mike

[3rdgen.maple]

Have heard of Folks laying their jars on there sides -- have never done this - as a bit timid with hot syrup. Very rarely do we have a jar that dosen't seal or looses seal later. Is the jar on the side method better? -- Mike

The reason to lay the jar on the side is just to kill any bacteria that may be lingering on the cap. It really doesnt need to be laid on the side rather just tilting the jar on its side for a few seconds is all that is needed.

[palmer4th]

I put 16 gallons in jars this year.... I finished on my gas camping stove and filtered. I filled the jars up as much as I would, then put the lid on and stood them upside down for a few min to kill anything on the lid. Then stood them upright and waited for them to cool down so they would seal. I only had 3 that would not seal out of all the jars. I fixed that problem by making french toast

[happy thoughts]

The water bath processing isn't really necessary. In all the info I've read about maple syrup bottling from national, state, and university maple resources, water bath canning is never mentioned. If it sets your mind more at ease then go for it, but imho making syrup of proper density is probably most important since sugar in high concentration is itelf a preservative.

Personally, for my own peace of mind in reusing jars, I wash and sterilize them in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Most good sources recommend bottling at 180-185F leaving as little headspace as possible, about 1/4 inch, and to lay the bottles on their sides to sterilize the cap. There will be some volume loss on cooling so don't be afraid to really fill them.

a good resource from the university of Maine is here:
http://umaine.edu/publications/7038e/

hope that helps

[mike z]

I have been filling mason jars with syrup for six years. I fill them, then immediately turn them upside down for 5 min. or so. Never had a jar not seal, never had one spoil. Some are 4 yrs old. Did have one jar break. I think it was an old one that must have had a weakness. Also, as I fill the jars, I leave 4-6" of space around them so they cool faster. Supposed to help with the color. I would think waterbathing would have the opposite effect, making for darker syrup.

[adk1]

I am liking this idea now. what sizes do these mason jars come in and how do they compare cost wise to the plastic jugs etc. Never used any of them.

[happy thoughts]

I am liking this idea now. what sizes do these mason jars come in and how do they compare cost wise to the plastic jugs etc. Never used any of them.


They come in a bunch of sizes from 4 and 8 oz jelly jars up to 2 quart size. You should be able to find 8, 16 and 32 oz ones just about everywhere they sell seasonal canning supplies, including walmart and grocery stores. Caps and lids can be purchased separately.

Price is probably about the same as plastic or a little cheaper because you'll save on shipping. They can also be picked up sometimes on clearance at the end of summer. They are also a common item at yard sales, usually for next to nothing- check the mouths for chips that would make them unusable. New caps and lids can be bought anywhere they sell canning supplies.

[adk1]

so what are the advantages of using them over conventional jugs etc?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

so what are the advantages of using them over conventional jugs etc?

Sterilize and reuse them. Great for family and friends.

[NH/Pete]

Sterilize and reuse them. Great for family and friends.

You can also see the fruits of your labor. :D

[happy thoughts]

so what are the advantages of using them over conventional jugs etc?

Besides being able to reuse them for home production there's the advantage of storing in glass over plastic. Syrup grade decreases in 3-6 months time when stored in plastic.

[TapME]

so what are the advantages of using them over conventional jugs etc?

The best reason for using the mason jars over the plastic jugs is that the mason jars are a true measure.. A qt is 32 oz, and a pint 16... Now try that with those plastic jugs and tell me what you can fit into them? You will be surprized at how much extra syrup you have been giving away.

[Ausable]

I am liking this idea now. what sizes do these mason jars come in and how do they compare cost wise to the plastic jugs etc. Never used any of them.

ADK1 - Just basic canning jars - some folks call them mason jars - made by several different companies in different parts of North America. Hard to believe You have never done any canning. Even several of my adult Grand children are into canning - It is coming back quickly as the poor old USA slides closer to the edge. Anything that You can eat and want to save is either frozen or canned. In the past we canned alot - now - we do just the things we really like - Maple Syrup, pickled red beets, black elderberry, blueberry and red currant jells and jams and home made apple sauce and pie filling to name a few. We use to can Salmon and Suckers - use a pressure cooker for that... And just about every vegetable and fruit given to us - as most family members had gardens. and relish and sweet and dill pickles etc ---- Even shred cabbage and make saur kraut and can that.... Where the heck did We get all that energy ...... Think I'll go open a jar of pickled red beets -- see ya -- Mike

[sap retreiver]

As said before the best thing about mason jars is you can see it. The next best thing is your customers can too. Last month a freind of mine paid $1.25 I think for the jugs and I had just bought quarts for 10.95 a dozen. Works for me and I've only been doing this for 4 years with no problems yet. Good luck, Sap on, Brian

[BarrelBoiler]

aaahhh the sweet sound of pink-pink- boink-pink as they cool telling you thaat they ae sealed and some of those that don't sound off just need a little tap to go boink

if the button don't stay down it's not sealed and that is a use me first jar

if you don't filter jars are easier to pour the top off of too

[mike z]

I like the giant mouth the jars have for easy filling, and also when just starting out it's nice to see that your syrup isn't spoiling, kind of builds your confidence that you're doing things right. Once you put it in the plastic jug who knows what going on in there. I like to pick a jar and marvel at the dark amber syrup I made. No marveling with the jug.

[adk1]

I think you all sold me on the mason jars. might just try those the first year. Beleive it or not, have a pressure cooker and never been out of the box!

From what I have read on here, you dont actually use a pressure cooker or anything, just fill the jars up hot and cap them, screw on the top and then tip upside down for a few minutes then flip them over and let them cool spaced apart.

[Ausable]

Pressure Cookers are great for certain foods - We still have two of them. They work great on low acid food - like carrots - where you have to can at a higher temperature then 212F - so - the way to do that is with a pressure cooker - the higher the pressure - the higher the temperature.

[CBOYER]

Advantage of mason jars

Taste. Plastic is porous, and give some taste to hot syrup. Try to put on side a freshly hot filled plastic gallon or half gallon jugs, and after sometimes it will deform. If it deform, it release some plasticizers, giving some bad taste.
All suppliers of pastic jugs said "good for 3 month". In Qc, nearly all production for retail customers is in sealed tin can, but smaller like me prefer Mason glass jar. When i give them as gift, i just add some personalised piece of tissue and ribbon, could be your trade mark..

[Ausable]

Another little trick - if You give out your maple syrup in canning jars - is to place your Label on the lid. Thus - if the jar is returned - removing the old label isn't a problem. We make up our own labels and use the jar ring as a pattern to circle and cut out the desired part of the label and stick on the lid after the jar is cooled and sealed. --- Mike

[TF Maple]

I think you all sold me on the mason jars. might just try those the first year. Beleive it or not, have a pressure cooker and never been out of the box!

From what I have read on here, you dont actually use a pressure cooker or anything, just fill the jars up hot and cap them, screw on the top and then tip upside down for a few minutes then flip them over and let them cool spaced apart.

I put the lids in a pan of water that is hot enough to form bubbles on the bottom of the pan. Then the lids should be sterile when you pull one out, so I don't tip my jars over. I also put the jars in another pan of water upsidedown so they can heat up too. But if the jars are coming out of the dishwasher still hot, I don't put the jars in the pan of water.

[BriJack]

Sounds like alot of mapler's are in consensus of using JARS.

Everyone seeems to agree that you don't have to water bath unfortunately the boss says we are and that's that!!!!!! Try to tell her we don't have to but then she pulls the BALL Canning book and it says to water bath.! Guess I will have to go with it just would like to show her ....... but I shut up and that's that!!!

Thanks again for all the good comments........it's snowing as I type this and am burning sap!!!! hahahahahahaha!!!!

[adk1]

My question is, what do you do with the syrup in the meantime until you are ready to jar it. I can see where you woudlnt really want to go through the process of jaring several times in a season, but more all at once?

Secondly, I was planning on bottling from a 36cup coffee maker. would this get the syrup hot enough to dump into the jars or no?

[Ausable]

If You keep the finished syrup in the refridgerator or freeze it (kind of) It will keep for some time - Just like when you open a jar of syrup it keeps best in the fridge. Normally the wife and I will can one to three gallons at a time and we put it up in pints or half pints and even three gallons of pints is a lot of jars to find places for and it dosen't get so tedious. We gift most of our syrup to family and friends and pints and half pints are a good size for this. Most times we can - not to long after finishing as there is always more sap to boil. -- Mike

[maple flats]

For home use and gifts we use canning jars and any other jar with a screw on cap and seal. We shy away from spaghetti sauce and pickels but things like apple sauce, peaches, peras and such are good. We use the jars year after year. My wife does water bath because she had 1 grow mold without it a few years ago, and never had any with water bath. That one may have been a fluke, but there is no changing her mind.
We do not can this way for retail, yet, may someday. We use official glass or plastic for retail sales.

[Ausable]

Usually High Acid foods are Hot Water bathed (pH of 4.6 or lower) With maple syrup we are trying to keep the syrup temp at about 190F to cut back on the formation of nitre (sugar sand) while canning. Using hot water bath method we normally get the water in the canner right about 212F - which would help old man nitre form. That said --- Home canning methods can be a matter of Faith - My Mother did it that way and that is the right and only way -- and Pal -- there ain't no winning that one -- Water Bath and live to be an old man -- lol -- Mike

[TF Maple]

My question is, what do you do with the syrup in the meantime until you are ready to jar it. I can see where you woudlnt really want to go through the process of jaring several times in a season, but more all at once?

Secondly, I was planning on bottling from a 36cup coffee maker. would this get the syrup hot enough to dump into the jars or no?

I also can in small batches so it isn't such a big job at one time. I run it out of the evaporator into pots or pails and bring it in the house to reheat to about 180- 185.
I use a coffee maker and it keeps the sap at 185 which is great for canning into warm jars that don't cool off the syrup. But I put water in the coffee maker first and plug it in so it gets hot. Otherwise when you put syrup in, even when it is hot, the coffee maker element heats up too much and might make nitre from my experience.

[adk1]

thanks TF. I was thinking about that one regarding the element. so right from the coffee maker into the mason jar, then cap and it will seal ok? using a hot jar of course.

[Ahnohta2]

Have a question on the mason qt canning jars. How high do you actually fill the jar so you still have a full qt left in jar after it cools and condenses???

We are swithing over to the mason jars due to the maple syrup jars coming from China and the prices have now exceeded the cost of Mason canning jars. We are not sure how full to fill mason canning jars before putting lids on. We want to make sure we are giving our customers a quart of syrup.

[Tater]

You could weigh them. A pint is 16 oz, quarts are 32 oz, etc.

[mellondome]

You could weigh them. A pint is 16 oz, quarts are 32 oz, etc.

Only if you are selling water... syrup is heavier.

[sap retreiver]

There's a line on the neck that I always go to. I haven't noticed much shrinking. Consistency is the key, I think.

[billyinvt]

The one drawback with mason jars is the way they pour, and the messy sticky lids. This is a great product once opened and ready for the fridge. They last for years and make Mason jars much more user friendly.
http://www.fillmorecontainer.com/reCap-Regular-Mouth-Pour-Cap-P5843.aspx

[Cedar Eater]

There is a glass rim under the threads for the lid. We go about 1/4" above that. I don't know if that's the correct amount, but the jars look reasonably full after cooling.