Post-bottling question! Help!

[cpaq88]

I bought 36 salad dressing-style glass bottles and associated metal caps this year to change up from mason jars. I bottled 3.5 gallons of syrup last night in them. Prior to bottling I boiled the caps and bottles just as you would for canning anything else, but did not do a hot water bath. I layed the bottles on their sides to cool.

After doing some reading today....I see now that the caps do not need to be boiled. My question is, do I need to re-bottle my syrup because I boiled the caps? Did I ruin them? Also, bottles layed on their sides for hours and none appear to be leaking, but the syrup level is lower than the fill level. Is this due to a density change or should I be worried about an air leak.

Thanks ahead, I definitely don't want the hard work to go to waste, or worse, make someone sick.

Chris

[Run Forest Run!]

Hi Chris. The lower level of syrup in the bottle is normal. If it didn't run out onto the counter, then it didn't leak. I've not used those types of bottles and caps before however I cannot imagine that boiling the caps would pose a problem. All that will do is soften the seal in the caps and most likely make them seal even better.

You should be just fine to sit back and admire all of your hard work. :)

[maplerookie]

I bought 36 salad dressing-style glass bottles and associated metal caps this year to change up from mason jars. I bottled 3.5 gallons of syrup last night in them. Prior to bottling I boiled the caps and bottles just as you would for canning anything else, but did not do a hot water bath. I layed the bottles on their sides to cool.

After doing some reading today....I see now that the caps do not need to be boiled. My question is, do I need to re-bottle my syrup because I boiled the caps? Did I ruin them? Also, bottles layed on their sides for hours and none appear to be leaking, but the syrup level is lower than the fill level. Is this due to a density change or should I be worried about an air leak.

Thanks ahead, I definitely don't want the hard work to go to waste, or worse, make someone sick.

Chris Hey chris . the levels in your bottles are lower because as the syrup cooled it contracted. You should be good to go as Karen said.

[cpaq88]

Thank you both for your help! That alleviated a lot of stress and thoughts of having to rebottle!

Chris

[SeanD]

Also, you only need to tip them on their side for 30 seconds to a minute. That's enough to sanitize the tops and if it's going to leak you'll know it right away.

Sean