Jug Seal Problem

[Saltlick]

I'm using Bacon jugs, and have had a couple of my customers tell me that the seal under the cap, doesn't appear to be tightly sealed when opening the jug. I'm filling the jug to the top and laying the jug on its side, as recommended. They do not leak when laid on there side. My syrup is plenty hot enough and I firmly tighten the caps. Could it be the jug? operator problem? or not even a problem to worry about? Any comments would be appreciated. thanks and happy easter,, Bruce

[sawyer40]

Are you useing the caps that came with the bottles. I have had trouble this year trying to put the caps from the sugar hill jugs on the bottles from last year from another company. They just don't all fit. Some seal some don't some seat crooked and leak one popped off when put on it's side. I learned use the caps the came with the bottles and then it's allright.

[markct]

i have been noticing the same thing, i have been using the blank sugarhill jugs from bascoms, and attaching my own stickers, and i have noticed that the seals just barely stick to the jugs, i dont know what im doing wrong, i bottle plenty hot, usualy 185 minimum, lay them on there sides, even tried not laying them on there sides, no difference. also, how tight should the caps be, i usualy tighten them til the tops bulge a bit, but maybe thats too tight

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I usually invert my jugs/turn them upside down for about 30 seconds. Don't know if that makes a difference, but I seem to get a good seal and never had a jug to fail by doing this for many years. The pints are much harder to get the lids to seal correctly and this usually shows the problem if the lid is not exactly right much quicker.

[maplehound]

Try not filling the jug as full. You need about a 1/2 inch of space at the top of the bottle. Then also make sure that there is no syrup around the lip of the bottle, if you have syrup on that lip it won't seal properly.

[markct]

hmm could be the problem, i always filled mine right to the top figuring they would keep better the less air they had, infact usualy i would fill them to about a half inch down then when they were set on a flat surface to cap them the syrup would be right up even or just spilling over the top

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you fill them too full, you could cause the jug to fail or explode.

[VtSugarhouse]

Go back to your supplier of Jugs. Last year both Bacon and Sugar hill had problem with their covers sealing. The last news I heard was their supplier of the caps was the problem and if you had incorrect caps they would replace them at no cost to the maple producer.
It is my understanding that this problem has been corrected for the 2008 season.