# Canning syrups & flavored vinegars



## farmlady (Apr 27, 2011)

Has anyone used the narrow neck bottles that vinegars and sauces are often sold in for bottling? Is the process different from using the usual canning jars? And does anybody know a source for the bottles and maybe even those inner paper/plastic seals? Thinking of bottling gourmet type syrups, vinegars and sauces from this year's harvest for nice Christmas gift


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Well, I posted last week about buying 3 gallons of Michiganfarmer's maple syrup that he was offering on the barter board. I sterilized 12 oz. beer bottles and capped the syrup in those. I heated the syrup to 180Âº, poured the syrup into the bottles and capped them. Of coarse, a beer bottle wouldn't be very pretty for gift giving, but it worked.

Try this source for your bottles and caps:

http://www.fillmorecontainer.com/


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## farmlady (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks, suitcase sally, I didn't know that what I was looking for is called a "woozy" bottle. That source has everything except whether they're safe to use for home canning things like fruit syrups and herb vinegars. I guess it's extension agent inquiry time.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

you can buy half size wine bottles, 375 ml, in blue, green etc at the homebrew store


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

suitcase_sally said:


> Well, I posted last week about buying 3 gallons of Michiganfarmer's maple syrup that he was offering on the barter board. I sterilized 12 oz. beer bottles and capped the syrup in those. I heated the syrup to 180Âº, poured the syrup into the bottles and capped them. Of coarse, a beer bottle wouldn't be very pretty for gift giving, but it worked.
> 
> Try this source for your bottles and caps:
> 
> http://www.fillmorecontainer.com/


Sally, do you buy your bottles, or can you use empty, clean budweiser (or whatever) bottles.
I also remember you bottling up a 2 ltr of soda bought on sale. Did it keep its fizz and all?? Just curious, I have beenn meaning to ask you, and your post reminded me


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

There is no way to heat process the bottles. Only regular jars and lids are recommended for preserving fruit syrups. As for othe vinegars, you can get bottles, corks, and sealing wax that will work for them. I teach a class on flavored vinegars and I suggest even thrift stores or garage sales for bottles.


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

Extension will probably tell you that you can't use them. Since if it isn't a Ball jar with a Ball lid and a Ball ring, extension hasn't tested them, and thus will say they won't work.

If you do try the woozy bottles, I would get them with a metal lid. With a metal lid, if you waterbath, you will be able to test for a seal by checking for an indentation. 

SKS Container also carries woozy bottles. They also sell a lot of "canning" jars with 1 piece lids.

http://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin18.html


This lady blogged about using the sks bottles and 1 piece lids. You can read about her experinces here.

http://dorisandjillycook.com/2010/03/02/jars-and-lids/


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

The jars with the plastisol sealing compound will work. As long as the size is comparable so you know what the processing time will be. 
The fruit syrup recipe I have is a good one, I think. Some I have call for corn syrup. The one I use has optional 1/2 package of pectin.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

beaglebiz said:


> Sally, do you buy your bottles, or can you use empty, clean budweiser (or whatever) bottles.
> I also remember you bottling up a 2 ltr of soda bought on sale. Did it keep its fizz and all?? Just curious, I have beenn meaning to ask you, and your post reminded me


When DH buys beer, I have to put a 10Â¢ deposit on the bottles so, I guess in a way I am "buying" them. Budweiser comes with a twist off cap, but I find that they seal just fine. Samuel Adams and some others still have the top that takes a bottle opener to open. I rinse them as soon as they are empied. I sterilize them before filling. I have a bottle washer that I use for my wine. It has a plunger-type thingy that you push the bottle down on and it squirts the santizing solution up in the bottle and then it drains.

Here's a picture of the setup. The red thing is where you hang your bottles. It comes in sections so you can add as many as you need. I usually only use 4 sections. Each section holds 9 bottles.

http://www.eckraus.com/WINEMAKING/Wine_Making_Equipment/Bottle_Washing/Page_1/BW219.html

Yes, the pop stays fizzy in the bottles. That's the reason I bottled the 2 liter stuff in beer bottles. I'm not a big pop drinker so the big bottles go flat before I can use it up.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

thanks for the info!!


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## farmlady (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the input! Now I just need to figure out which flavors I want to make. I know that garlic is risky for vinegar, but herbs should process just fine.


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