Beer bottles for syrup??

[Flat47]

I've been batting around different ideas for bottling syrup for gifts to friends and family. Cost is always an issue as this is strictly a hobby (no public sales). I do home brew, too. So, I'm thinking about bottling syrup in beer bottles. Any issues to consider? The glass bottles and metal caps (true caps, not twist-offs) are food grade. I just don't know how the caps will stand hot-packed syrup. I alwys boil my caps before bottling home brew, but they don't stay hot long at all after the bottle it capped. I wouldn't think it would impart any off flavors.

Any thoughts? Input welcomed.

[KenWP]

Will the bottles take hot pack and will they take the vacuum your going to have when it cools. Beer has pressure not vacuum and the bottles and caps are made to handle that. They bottle syrup with corks a lot so maybe it will work.

[Flat47]

Will the bottles take hot pack and will they take the vacuum your going to have when it cools. Beer has pressure not vacuum and the bottles and caps are made to handle that. They bottle syrup with corks a lot so maybe it will work.

Good point...hadn't thought of that.

[Dennis H.]

AS long as they are new and the caps will take hot packing I don't see why not.

I don't know if you read the current issue of the MapleNews but there was a person I think up in the great north who packaged syrup in used Whiskey bottles and got a nice fine because of it. So just make sure that they are new bottles and I can't see you having any trouble.

[Flat47]

I don't know if you read the current issue of the MapleNews but there was a person I think up in the great north who packaged syrup in used Whiskey bottles and got a nice fine because of it. So just make sure that they are new bottles and I can't see you having any trouble.

Interesting. I don't get MapleNews. Why were they fined?

As a sugaring hobbyist and a homebrewer, I don't sell my product. My brew bottles are reused, label-free, and sanitized before each use. Always new caps (can't reuse caps even if someone wanted to).

[vtjeeper]

Interesting. I don't get MapleNews. Why were they fined?

As a sugaring hobbyist and a homebrewer, I don't sell my product. My brew bottles are reused, label-free, and sanitized before each use. Always new caps (can't reuse caps even if someone wanted to).

I'm no sugaring expert but I have done a little homebrewing, not an expert there either. but now that you mentioned it, sounds like a cool idea to give one to one of my friends that way. but once opened, how would you close up the bottle?

oh yes, and I wouldn't worry about the fine for family and friends, I'd use my old bottles too. cleaned and sanitized they're as good as new.

[KenWP]

Well with whiskey bottles how pray tell would you seal them. They would be fine for family and freinds but resell would be a no no. if they were brand new beer bottles you could bottle and sell just fine. Just have to have proof of purchase for them.

[Flat47]

vtjeeper - I thought it'd be cool, too, to give a 6 pack of syrup as a gift...I think i could fairly easily print up some cardstock 6 pack holders with our own artwork. For the individual bottles, I think soem of the 3" round labels from Leader would do just fine.

KenWP - so retail sales need to be in new containers...I guess that just makes sense now that I think about it. Never even thought about. Of course they do.

Re-sealing the bottle? Not sure. Maybe provide a cork with each 6 pack?

[vtjeeper]

vtjeeper - I thought it'd be cool, too, to give a 6 pack of syrup as a gift...I think i could fairly easily print up some cardstock 6 pack holders with our own artwork. For the individual bottles, I think soem of the 3" round labels from Leader would do just fine.

KenWP - so retail sales need to be in new containers...I guess that just makes sense now that I think about it. Never even thought about. Of course they do.

an all out labeled 6 pack would be awsome. but still, you'd have to use flip top bottles or something so they could be closed back up. unless you have some hardcore friends that would kill a bottle of syrup at one sitting. or if they have caps and a capper...

[mountainvan]

Grolsch Premium Lager. swing top are good for syrup.

[KenWP]

Include with every case one of those rubber flip over qizmos to seal the open top. For a family a beer bottle would be a easy kill for breakfast. We use half a can easy for a breakfast with just us two here.

[Flat47]

Those rubber flip stopper things would be perfect...thanks for the suggestion. I've already got several cases of bottles and caps are cheap and easy to get. I used to have a bunch of Grolsch bottles...think I gave them away a while ago, though, and I don't really care for Grolsch beer. So, I'm not likely to punish myself drinking it just to gain a few bottles. Now those 30-something ounce bottles from Shipyard, Bar Harbor, etc. would be worth drinking to stock up on bottles. I can hear it now, "No, I don't have a drinking problem...I need the bottles for my addiction!"

[mountainvan]

your welcome. I can't take credit. a guy close to me uses them. I would need to drink a lot of beer to bottle 1,000 gals of syrup:)

[Dennis H.]

The details on the whiskey bottle thing is that a guy at a Market was selling syrup in old whiskey bottles and got caught by the syrup police and got a nice fine of $350

It is kind of and interesting idea though to sell syrup in NEW beer bottles.

[Flat47]

Did a quick test of the expanding rubber stopper things...they work very well.

I think I'm on to something here...

[Dill]

So is this a pancake chaser for one of the "nip" size bottles?

[Clan Delaney]

Flat-

I brew as well. Some thoughts: since you're not selling, just gifting, experiment with all types of used bottles. Wine bottles would be great - just cork 'em. I wouldn't worry about vacuum from hot-packing, the pressure in those bottles from priming is far greater than the vacuum created by the small amount of air in the headspace contracting. If you can find more of those grolsh-style swingtops, though, go for it.

[Flat47]

So is this a pancake chaser for one of the "nip" size bottles?

It's just a matter of time before introducing the maple flask.

[markct]

It's just a matter of time before introducing the maple flask.

haha not a bad idea at all, know of some folks who carry a small bottle of real syrup with them in restraunts and stuff, so a maple flask may actualy have a market

[KenWP]

I found a source for a bunch of those grolosh bottles around here. I figure they would work fine for my uses and I can also buy new stoppers for them from D&G.

[BuoyChaser]

I'm looking to do some storage in leftover beer growlers (screw on tops) and final bottling in 22oz beer bottles. Any feedback, how did the beer bottles work? You can get those temporary wine stoppers to cap the top in between pancake breakfasts!

[BobU]

When I saw the title of this thread I just had to chime in. We have used Corona (spelling?) beer bottles, both the 12 and the 7 oz. sizes.
We get new caps and have a manual capper, they are neat give-aways.
Use the clear Corona bottles because they are clear glass, no lables to mess with (when we run them through the dishwasher), but mostly because the beer drinking "guys" likes Corona.
Tap well, Be safe. BobU

[Flat47]

The beer bottles worked awesome. We gave them out as gifts around Christmas time along with other home-made goods. We used brown beer bottles, labels from Bascoms on front, our mailing labels on back, and gold foil tops. They were a huge success. We included a flip-top wine bottle stopper with each gift bag. As others have said (Clan, I think?), we're now looking at other bottles like wine bottles and some cool looking tall square ones that I saw locally with olive oil in it. Of course, we'd buy new and not re-use the olive oil ones.

I did get plain white six pack holders, but I never got around to doing the artwork for them. The holders, bottle caps, and wine bottle stoppers all came from MidWest Brew Supply. The labels we got were not the ones we thought we ordered. I think they're drab and boring, but the shape works well for the bottle. We've got some gallon size growlers for short term "bulk" storage and I was able to get new caps for them from Fillmore Container Co.

[happy thoughts]

Beer bottles are a cool idea. I like the idea of narrow necks because I think it helps keep the syrup from spoiling as fast as it might in a mason jar, less air space for mold to grow in storage. I figure there's probably a good reason for the traditional narrow neck of maple syrup bottles and think that might be why.

I've reused those square tall bottles that flavored vinegars are sold in and also ones from salad dressing if I like the shape. Fifth size whiskey bottles work, too. I'd even give the olive oil ones you saw a shot. Glass cleans up pretty good with some hot water and a little vinegar or ammonia and a good bottle brush. Glass doesn't retain odors or flavors, but you'll probably want to find new caps. Try a couple of different brands of soda in 2 liter bottles or cheaper wine with twist off caps. You may find caps that fit. If you can find metal caps all the better. These will usually seal on hot pack if the cap and bottle are a good fit. The plastic caps probably seal as well but it's harder to tell if the seal is good.

I boil all bottles and caps just as you would for home canning before filling with hot syrup. Any filled bottles that don't seal to my liking are stored in the fridge and are kept only for our own use. Only bottles with good seals are given to family and close friends. None of our syrup is sold.

[Timber Juice]

Why can't used liquor & beer bottles be utilized for syrup sales?

Beer companys still refill consumer used bottles.

Pop companys used to have a very extensive recycling & refill process with their own deposits decades before any state bottle bills.

They discontinued because of cost and the ease of plastic, not because of health concerns of refilling the glass bottles.

New sealable caps of course.
A very green energy efficient idea.

If someone had an inspected, certified sugar shack (which qualifies as a commercial kitchen and is required for sales here), had gone thru the commercial food handlers certification program that all restaurants are required to do, why in the world would properly cleaned, chip & crack-free glass not be allowed.

Any law or inspector that says otherwise is stupid and needs to change.

[RockFarm]

I've been reusing Snapple bottles and caps. It is a real pain to get the Snapple labels off, but otherwise, they work pretty well. Even the re-used caps seal tight and 'click' or 'pop' back to a concave condition when I do what I think you call "hot packing" which is like canning something, right? I'm not selling, so it doesn't matter that the name Snapple is on the bottle.

[lpakiz]

I also use Snapple and Lipton Iced Tea bottles and the lids do re-seal. I asked the recyle truck driver to save some for me and left him a Snapple bottle of syrup. Three trips larter, I had to ask him to stop!! Work great for favors and for the folks that help, but would never sell them.....
I want to try beer bottles too (clear glass Miller or Michelob long necks) I think syrup would look awesome in them.

[wnybassman]

Frank's Red Hot bottles work well too. If I remember right, my usual bottle caps screw right on also.

[70 Buick]

Very cool idea

[NJG]

Glad to hear others have done this. Planning on trying it ourselves this year. Just for family and gifts, but thought it would be pretty slick to give away a few "6-packs" of syrup!