how long for mold to show up?

[SilverLeaf]

Just noticed a few glass bottles from a batch I bottled about a month ago showing mold. My syrup density's good, so I'm pretty sure it was user-error when bottling. :emb: I don't think I've been the most consistent about keeping my syrup temp high enough to stay above 180 long enough to get the cap on the bottle.

I don't really feel like re-bottling the whole batch, so I was thinking of just letting it sit for another month to see which ones have mold, and just repackage those. That would give 2 months from the original packing date for any mold to show its ugly face. Is that a long enough time to safely say that anything without mold is in the clear?

[maplecrest]

where are you storing your syrup? how hot is it? this last hot spell will cause you some greif is syrup is stored in a really warm area.

[Brian Ryther]

I have glass from three years ago with perfect syrup in it. In my opinion you need to find the source of the problem. I know you said it was perfect density, but check it again. 180 degrees is critical also. Sanitary conditions where you bottle are also critical. You need to audit your enitre packaging / processing area and find the problem. It is good that you caught it in the glass because you know it is happening in the plastic jugs as well.

[red maples]

I have some glass from last year (more for keep sake 1st year) and they are fine. they were even stored about 15 feet from the woodstove during the winter months. no issues!!! I even had some plastic that I had sitting around not much just a few little ones and I opened them up after a year and they were fine reheated and rebottled no issues.

[SilverLeaf]

The syrup is stored in my basement; a nice crisp 65 degrees, even when it's 100 outside. :D

I really think the problem is in my canning process; I just had a DIY water-jacket canner of sorts built and am trying to get the hang of it. Works great for the most part; but I'm having a hard time at the end- the spigot isn't quite in the perfect spot, so if I don't physically lift and tip the thing off the heat source (which is hard, not to mention dangerous), it slows to something barely more than a drip for the last pint or two. I'm sure I'm losing major heat when it does that.

I threw out the 2-month timeframe because in my (short) experience, I've never seen "new" mold start after 2 months. But I'm still a newbie so I thought I'd throw it out here and ask the ol' pros. ;)

[raven4maple]

Got several batches in the basement, current temp 68F, all canned in glass no mold. The oldest batch is 2009 for personal consumption packed in used peanut butter jars! Most other batches new mason jars. We don't have a professional canning set-up yet. We boil the jars and lids, bring the syrup to a boil in a Leader kitchen pan, turn it off, and when we cap the jars temperature is at about 200 degrees. We have never seen mold in any batch.

[red maples]

the main thing that I didn't mention about the glass is that when ever I bottle in glass (which isn't very often) I keep the glass hot the glass is thicker than plastic and will absorb the heat faster cooling off the syrup faster. I usually heat mine to 190* too. because as soon as you remove it from the heat it will start to cool.

[3fires]

Does anyone have pics of what this mold looks like? I've had mine stored in glass in the closet which is getting pretty hot as of late. I got worried and put the remainder in the freezer, but have yet to see any mold and would like to know what to look for just in case.