Canning Jars to bottle syrup?

[rob1640]

I was thinking of using canning jars to bottle my syrup in. Do many syrup makers use them? What are the advantages or disadvantages?

[Haynes Forest Products]

They work fine. Advantage is there cheap can be found anyware. Fill with 190 degree syrup and put the lids on DONE. I was in a truck stop in Iowa and they had a display of all sorts of Syrup and Jams in Mason type jars. They had ribbons and bows and all sorts of labels on them. Be differant.

[skinny78]

I exclusively use mason jars. We wash them in the dishwasher and fill them with hot syrup right out of the water jacket filter/caning tank. You can get them cheap at auctions and garage sales. I even have several customers who always bring the empties back.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

We use canning jars for a lot of the family's syrup. Re-usable and a convenient size. When filling with hot syrup, put about 1/2 inch in the bottom, stop filling for about 10 or 15 seconds, and then finish filling. If you don't, sometimes the rapid change in temperature of the glass will cause them to crack or break.

[03weim]

I use mason jars just make sure you filter the syrup good before you fill them plus after I fill them I put them in the oven on warm for about 1/2 an hour to slow down the cooling of the syrup I was told to do that I don't remember why also I boil the jars before I fill them

[buxtonboiler]

That's what I used last year and will use again this year. I am not a big producer and only make couple of gallons a year. I give some away to friends and family.

[KenWP]

I haunt garage sales. I buy a lot of small jars at them as a lot of people don't put up jams and jellies. I can if I need to buy cases of 4 gallon jugs and the smaller ones at the Co Op in town if I need to. Around here I have to get to garage sales ahead of this little old man who sugars and buys a lot of jars also.

[maplehound]

my father tried to get me to use them last year. I did put up a case of each ( quarts, pints & halfpints) wasn't able to sell any of them. Ended up using them for myself and found them hard to pour out of. they did seal easy however and I had no molding on any of them.

[KenWP]

I have no worrys as it's against the law for me to sell maple syrup in Quebec so any I make is for my own use or to give away.

[JohnM]

I wash the jars and preheat them in the oven to about 200 degrees. Heat the seals in a pan of water.

I use only jars for my syrup because:

They are easy to clean and reuse
In most cases I get more for free
I like to see the color and clarity
Not made from dead dinosaurs(Saudi $'s)

Downside-More work than filling and screwing on a plastic cap.

[BarrelBoiler]

thats what my family has always used as our syrup was for us or to give away. i filter my syrup somewhat but with the glass you can see the "gunge" (family term for niter) and not pour it out. also found that the wide mouth pints are just wide enough for the gravey ladle so we don't have to pour if we don't want to

[Haynes Forest Products]

If you want to sterilize then put about a 1/4 " water in them and put in the Microwave. The water will boil in about 15 seconds and the steam will clean them its fast and easer than boiling them workes great in the small neck bottles to.

[Haynes Forest Products]

JohnM you didnt get the memo...............oils not made from dead Dinos

[Turtlecreek]

When bottling do you neede it the syrup to be 180 degrees or can you just bottle cold syrup?

[KenWP]

The syrup has to be hot for two reasons. One to kill off any germs and such. Two the hot syrup is expanded slightly and when it cools it creates a vaccum in the jar or bottle thus sucking the lid down tight. That is why the lids of canning jars have the little raised button in the middle to show you wether you have a correct seal or not.

[Amber Gold]

I've been canning in 1 qt mason jars for years. All I've done is make sure they're clean, no smell. I usually designate jars just for syrup to make sure. Heat syrup to 180-190 degrees, pour and cap. Never had a problem with the jar breaking from the heat spike or not sealing properly and getting mold. Not sure why the jar would break when exposed to the heat spike when they're made for canning hot jams, jellies, sauces, etc. and those I usually can at boiling temps, not 180.

[KenWP]

Hot jams and jellys are around 240 temperature so 190 maple would not even faze them. When your canning its allways best to have the jars hot so that you get the best seal. I pout hot oil in mine all the time and thats 340 degrees.

[Dill]

My wife and I can quite a bit. Pickles, Jams, and Syurp. One trick is to have the jars sitting in hot water so it's not quite a temp spike. We've had a few break but usually with hot pickle brine rather than syurp.

[buck3m]

How high in the jar does the hot syrup need to be to give the customer a full quart when it's cool?

[arcticcatmatt]

We use canning jars for a lot of the family's syrup. Re-usable and a convenient size. When filling with hot syrup, put about 1/2 inch in the bottom, stop filling for about 10 or 15 seconds, and then finish filling. If you don't, sometimes the rapid change in temperature of the glass will cause them to crack or break.

Figures. I just read that.

20 mins ago I was pouring hot syrup into a small mason jar and POP out goes the bottom as soon as the syrup hit it.

1/2 a pint of hot gold all over the kitchen counter, cupboard, and floor.

[3rdgen.maple]

I put the families syrup in mason caning jars too. What I do is set them in the flue pan for a few minutes before I fill them to get them nice and hot so they don't bust. Put the jar under the canner and fill. Never had a jar break yet.

[JohnM]

From the Ball Blue Book, Guide to Home Canning and Freezing.

"In handling the jars care should be taken that you do not crack or break them due to sudden changes in temperature."

"Never put a hot jar on a cold or wet surface or in a draft. Never pour boling water or other boiling liquids into a cool jar."

[Ausable]

Howdy - We have used canning jars for years and they work great. Naturally the jars are washed - but - when we are canning our syrup we have the jars submerged in hot tap water in the sink and boil our lids and rings in a large pan. The wife and I work as a team and it goes pretty fast. I dump the hot water out of a jar and place in a empty sauce pan and she fills with hot syrup - while I'm getting another jar ready for her in another sauce pan. Also - I use a pair of tongs to lift out a ring and lid and place on a filled jar and tighten (I used to over-tighten and several wouldn't seal - Guy Thing) - seems the lids are made cheaper now and don't seal as well so gotta be careful.
A thing that bugs me - when you buy a new box of jars - the manufacturer kindly has a new ring and lid on top of each jar - but - usually the lids have sealed while sitting in storage and are useless as the seals become messed up and the lids have to be replaced. I say - put the lids on the jars upside down so they don't seal to the jars in storage.... Yep - like they will -- LOL -- Mike

[moeh1]

Matt,
how long did it take to lick up a half pint worth of syrup? LOL:lol:

[wnybassman]

I have been "bulk" packaging in canning jars for the last 6 or 8 years. Mostly pints and quarts. Always wash and dry well but never found the need to prewarm the jars or lids. I have had syrup sit on the shelf for over 2 years without issue.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have had the 1/2 gallon jugs break but thats because we got them off the truck and started filling:mad: I would let atleast get to room temp. I also think if the syrup is run down the sides instead of splaching off the bottom first the chanses of breaking go down.

[wnybassman]

I have had the 1/2 gallon jugs break but thats because we got them off the truck and started filling:mad: I would let atleast get to room temp. I also think if the syrup is run down the sides instead of splaching off the bottom first the chanses of breaking go down.

Mine are actually sitting on the stove top for the last half hour or so of the syrup finishing up, so they are warm already I guess. Plus bottling at 185 or so the syrup isn't piping hot any more like when it is 217+

[beehappy1950]

A thing that bugs me - when you buy a new box of jars - the manufacturer kindly has a new ring and lid on top of each jar - but - usually the lids have sealed while sitting in storage and are useless as the seals become messed up and the lids have to be replaced. I say - put the lids on the jars upside down so they don't seal to the jars in storage.... Yep - like they will -- LOL -- Mike

I noticed this, too, about the new boxes of jars. In fact I called the Ball Co and also wrote them an email complaining about this. They informed me that the lids ARE ok to use, that they will "recover" in hot water. They do recover and the rubbery stuff doesn't show a line, but I have found that sometimes they don't seal! Or they might buckle. I never had problems like this before. I complained again, not only because of the way they are now packaging the lids and rings, but also because the quality of the jars seems poor. I have found jars with small stress lines in them, sometimes pieces of plastic or a large bubble in the glass, or mis-shapen areas of the jar. I think these things are made so fast these days and cheaply, too. I bought several boxes of new jars from Wal Mart and they were all defective. I took them back. I bought several cases of jars at a local grocery store and they were fine. I think Wal Mart must buy the rejects from Ball to save money. I wish they would package the lids and rings the way they used to - in a separate layer on top with a thin cardboard in between. The Ball Co says putting the rings and lids on the jars and then shrink wrapping the whole thing is a cost savings thing. I think this is one of those modern day ideas that just stinks and it's not going to change. But go ahead and use those lids, they will be ok if you soak them in very hot water not quite to a boil for about 10 min.

[Z/MAN]

I noticed this, too, about the new boxes of jars. In fact I called the Ball Co and also wrote them an email complaining about this. They informed me that the lids ARE ok to use, that they will "recover" in hot water. They do recover and the rubbery stuff doesn't show a line, but I have found that sometimes they don't seal! Or they might buckle. I never had problems like this before. I complained again, not only because of the way they are now packaging the lids and rings, but also because the quality of the jars seems poor. I have found jars with small stress lines in them, sometimes pieces of plastic or a large bubble in the glass, or mis-shapen areas of the jar. I think these things are made so fast these days and cheaply, too. I bought several boxes of new jars from Wal Mart and they were all defective. I took them back. I bought several cases of jars at a local grocery store and they were fine. I think Wal Mart must buy the rejects from Ball to save money. I wish they would package the lids and rings the way they used to - in a separate layer on top with a thin cardboard in between. The Ball Co says putting the rings and lids on the jars and then shrink wrapping the whole thing is a cost savings thing. I think this is one of those modern day ideas that just stinks and it's not going to change. But go ahead and use those lids, they will be ok if you soak them in very hot water not quite to a boil for about 10 min.

You have noticed what happens when you buy from Wal Mart and the big box stores. They TELL the companies what they will pay for their products and the companies don't want to lose those big contracts so they make a cheaper product for them. This is a proven fact. I have even seen an advertisement from Stihl stating why you will never see there products in a big box store. It states they will never compromise quality to make a sale. Shop at your locally owned store and get a quality product.
Paul

[3rdgen.maple]

The last 2 cases of mason jars I bought from walmart had a peice of cardboard over the top of the jars and the lids and seals sat on that then they were all srink wrapped up in a box. It was less than a month ago. When I think about it the ones I bought at the gracery store was the same way.

[Snow Hill Farm]

I remember my mother pouring syrup in the Mason jars in the kitchen when I was a kid and she always put a sterling silver table knife in the jar befor she poured. She said it helped transfer the heat from the syrup and helped to avoid breaking jars....

[raven4maple]

We've been canning syrup in mason jars for a few years with no problems. This year we have surplus and would like to sell some. A quick look at NH law doesn't show any problem, but i keep hearing doubts that it is OK to sell in masons. Can someone help clarify?

[Buckshot]

We sold a lot of maple syrup to my husband's friends through his workplace in mason jars. I think that the three key things to remember are;
1. The jars must be new. No reusing allowed if you are selling them.
2. They must be labelled properly just like any other maple syrup bottle.
3. They have to be an acceptable volume/size. Seeing how most canning jars are pint or quart size, that shouldn't be an issue as those are the standard sizes for maple syrup bottles.

I haven't come across any regulations that would make mason jars unacceptable for selling maple syrup ...but I've only been looking at Ontario's regulations as that is where I am.

I like mason jars for friends and family, but I don't know how well they would go over with the public. It seems...well...cheap..when compared to the nicer glass bottles that syrup is traditionally sold in. But that's my opinion.

[adk1]

I would think that the mason jar would cost more than the plastic jug? Never bought a mason jar.
Had thought about filling in them awhile ago, but decided to go wit hthe plastic jug, quart and 1/2 gallon sizes only

[BryanEx]

I like mason jars for friends and family, but I don't know how well they would go over with the public.
In my area (Eastern Ontario / Ottawa) I find Mason jars sell okay in the inner-city but get panned in the suburbs and country side. The city folks seem to feel mason jars make the syrup seem more "home made".

[3rdgen.maple]

I would think that the mason jar would cost more than the plastic jug? Never bought a mason jar.
Had thought about filling in them awhile ago, but decided to go wit hthe plastic jug, quart and 1/2 gallon sizes only

Actually the mason jars are cheaper. A case of 12 can be had for under 9 bucks around here with lids and seals. I have customers that request mason jars. I think I end up selling about 8 gallons total for those guys. My dad is old school and just cant understand why I buy new mason jars for these guys every year. They must be new according to our ag law. I get the oh bullsh!t comment and Im wasting money from him every year lol. Rules are rules. A quart plastic jug is well over a dollar each.

[CBOYER]

around here, new 12 mason jar box is around $7.50, and a kit of 12 new ring and cap is $5.00, so it is not a good idea to recycle, even for friends..

[3rdgen.maple]

around here, new 12 mason jar box is around $7.50, and a kit of 12 new ring and cap is $5.00, so it is not a good idea to recycle, even for friends..

I cant speak for your area but hear if you sell it it must be in new glass or jugs. If its a gift I will reuse them.

[CBOYER]

if for sale, it must be new, if for gift, they accept evrything:lol:

[markct]

i think part of the problem with the mason jars and selling may be that its not a full quart when they are filled hot, our syrup jugs are made to hold more than a quart so when they cool to room temp they are still a quart measure of syrup, remember syrup expands when heated.

[maple flats]

I've heard that re-used glass must be cleaned in a certified washer. Consider the glass milk bottle. They wash and re-use. They just need a washer that meets the rules for cleaning, regardless of what was in them. (some people use them for anything and then return them, these also MUST be food safe after cleaning).

[farmer12071]

it all i use here,everyone i sell to wants them.a couple yrs.back i bought some plastic bottles from leader and most customers brought me cases of mason jars because they thought i ran out.the people i deal with say they dont need or want any fancy containers they know whats in it and if they need something to read theyd buy the newspaper,i like working with them.tops around here are 100 for 2.95,bands are 100 for 2.95,quart jars are 12 for 9.95

[adk1]

I am gonna buy quart sugarhill jugs and quart mason jars..that is all I am going to sell this year. I will offer either to any customers that come in and see what the prefer. with only making 20-25 gallons, and keeping 5 of those for myself and family, that should be good. I really expect to sell the syrup to neighbors and folks up and down my road (long dead end). I ahve had a few stop by because they heard that i will be making syrup this year. Everyone seems excited about it as I will be the only one doing it or ever has on my road. Should be interesting!

[adk1]

I put the families syrup in mason caning jars too. What I do is set them in the flue pan for a few minutes before I fill them to get them nice and hot so they don't bust. Put the jar under the canner and fill. Never had a jar break yet.

going back and forth on this still. I jsut priced out 64oz jars. they are the same price as 1/2 gallon jugs. plan on bottling only in 1/2 gallons and quarts. thinking all quarts will be mason jars and I will buy a case of 1/2 gallon jugs.
never used mason jars before for anything. my plan is to keep the jar hot, get the syrup up to 190 degrees, fill the jar, place the lid on top tighten band. tilt onto side for a minute or so, then upright and let sit?

Also, everyone seems to heat up the jars before filling from the canner. I understand why this is because the glass cools much faster than the plastic. Everyone seems to heat their jars in different ways. Can I simply keep pre-steralized jars in the oven (electric) and then just grab them out as I fill them?

[wiam]

My opinion on heating glass is larger, as in qt or larger, does not need to be heated. I think on smaller glass there is as much or more glass than syrup, so it cools glass too fast.

[3rdgen.maple]

I gave up a few years ago on the 1/2 gallon and gallon jugs. With the economy the way it is people just are not buying them from me. Quarts sell the best. As far as heating the mason jars it doesnt matter how you do it. As long as they come out clean and sterile. I know a few guys that dont even heat them up and have no problems with them sealing, my concern has always been them not being hot enough long enough to kill any mold growing bacteria.