# Favorite jars for honey?



## beecuz (Apr 14, 2010)

I pulled about 5+ gallons of honey from a few of my hives and am ready to start bottling. The only jars I have available are canning jars, which will work but the caps/lids make it a messy affair to open and use. There are so many options for ordering on the internet that it is confusing at least - what types and sizes are you guys using? Some advice before I order, please. Thanks for any input!


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## Beeboy01 (May 20, 2008)

I use ball jars just because they are advailable at the local stores. I was ordering 1 1/2 lb sqeeze bottles from the bee catalogs but got tired of paying the shipping on them. The shipping increased the cost per bottle by almost 30% and the ball jars purchased locally ended up being a lot less expensive. The two piece lids for the ball jars can be replaced with one piece lids if you can find a source for them. The queenline glass honey jars have always been a favorite, it all depends on what you are going to do with the honey once bottled, gifts, home use or for sale.


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## dixie1 (Jun 27, 2010)

I bottled for the first time a couple of weeks ago, only got 20 lbs, but used the 12 oz plastic bear jars I got from Mann Lake (free shipping if you order over $100)..thats a no brainer for me....I also got some pound plastic jars that I haven't used yet on a sale ....it may have been from Dadant, as a product they were getting rid of.....the 12 oz plastic jars were pretty good to use....but I have seen lids for sale at Brushy Mountain that will fit the ball type jars....I think they are order 100 at a time....you might want to check them out.


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## Beeboy01 (May 20, 2008)

I know Mann Lake has changed thier shipping charges over the last two years and now offer free shipping above $100.00, I complained about thier shipping charges last time I ordered the 1 1/2# bottles. The last time I ordered from them they charged shipping for just about everything. I like Mann Lake's frames, the top bar and side bars are heavy duty. 20 lbs is a good start, nothing beats fresh honey.


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## Bsweet (Apr 9, 2010)

I use canning jars. Quarts,Pints and half pints. Can buy them locally and my customers reuse them . One piece lids are nice and even plastic "honey bears " seem to be messy. jim


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## pattesons (Jun 20, 2011)

We use the 1lb honey jars with a wide twist off mouth, or the 8oz hexagonals. I'm from the UK so not in a great position to give advice on where to buy in the US but we've heard good things about http://www.sks-bottle.com/CanningJars.html


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## mrsl (Apr 21, 2010)

You can get the single piece plastic lids for canning jars at Walmart (the grocery stores around here carry them also); the price is comparable to the 2-piece canning lids.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I often use canning jars until I'm ready to bottle. Often, someone will want honey and they really don't care about the container. Those people usually give the empty back to you so it works pretty well. When I do bottle, label, etc., I use 8oz and 16oz glass jars...the traditional kind. If shipping is too much, there are a couple of bee suppliers locally that order by the pallet and it's a little cheaper to drive to them and buy my glassware.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

As a hobbyist I would use nothing but ball jars (screw on lids) because of their availability and they are already proven for storing food. So many people try canning these days and find out how much work there is to it and loose interest so you can get some good deals on jars.
For selling the smaller jar you use the more you can make. For storing the larger container you use the less it will cost you.


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## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

Do you sell your honey? How much?
Bee Happy


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## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

Biggest disadvantages to glass is the weight (if you go to farmer's markets, etc.) and they break without careful handling. You can often find canning jars at auctions, yard sales, etc. for next to nothing and the box stores run them on sale frequently. Menards had wide mouth quarts for $8 a few weeks back. Blue Sky has a nice selection and reasobably priced but I do feel your pain on the shipping charges.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

So far we consume or give away as gifts everything that we harvest. I just recently got another hive so we only have two.


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## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

Then, watch for canning jars on sale or ask around friends, neighbors, etc. Few people can anymore and there are lots of good jars around.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

I use Ball jars I get from the dollar stores.I find them even cheaper than walmart.I have used the honey bears and queenline jars but I have found most people prefer to but quarts in Ball jars.I could hardly even give away chunk honey in the squares!!! That was a real waste of time!!!!


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## CentralPAguy (Feb 8, 2009)

snapper1d said:


> I could hardly even give away chunk honey in the squares!!! That was a real waste of time!!!!


I am not sure I understand what is meant by chunk honey in the squares -- is this square bottles or did you find that Chunk Honey wouldn't sell.


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## beecuz (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks for all the comments and advice. We ended up ordering plastic jars with flip tops - bulk of 50 for 32 oz and bulk of 100 for 16 oz. Total cost was $104.50 We ordered from Betterbee.com. I like the look of the jars and we made our own labels that look pretty good too. Does seem like a lot of money just for jars but since this will be our first batch for sale we wanted to make a good impression for our first customers. One more question, though...I know some of you use glass, but for those who use plastic bottles, what sterilizing process do you use for plastic? I was told that when you order plastic bottles from a manufacturer you don't have to sterilize them...but...??? Any insight?


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Mar 1, 2011)

beecuz said:


> Thanks for all the comments and advice. We ended up ordering plastic jars with flip tops - bulk of 50 for 32 oz and bulk of 100 for 16 oz. Total cost was $104.50 We ordered from Betterbee.com. I like the look of the jars and we made our own labels that look pretty good too. Does seem like a lot of money just for jars but since this will be our first batch for sale we wanted to make a good impression for our first customers. One more question, though...I know some of you use glass, but for those who use plastic bottles, what sterilizing process do you use for plastic? I was told that when you order plastic bottles from a manufacturer you don't have to sterilize them...but...??? Any insight?


It is a bit pricey, you could have purchased the same for much less on other sites (not factoring in shipping). You can get 108 of the 16oz for $57.60 from Millerbee (100 for $61.50 at Betterbee) and as stated previously, anything over $100 at Mann Lake gets you free shipping. I hope eveyrthing works well, I have been tracking a lot of negative issues with Betterbee customer service (never used them so I can't confirm).


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

beecuz said:


> One more question, though...I know some of you use glass, but for those who use plastic bottles, what sterilizing process do you use for plastic? I was told that when you order plastic bottles from a manufacturer you don't have to sterilize them...but...??? Any insight?


Although honey has a long shelf life anyone concerned with freshness will want glass. Sterilizing is sterilizing, it makes no difference if it is glass or plastic. I would say you don't need sterilizing.


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

I buy the pint ball jars w/one piece lid locally from an Amish canner. Wholesale @ $5.00 for a case of 12. But I still like the 1lb. plastic jars with flip lid. Most seem to prefer these. So when I'm at Walter T. Kelley Co. I usually pick some of them up to save shipping. I just don't like the thought of glass breaking.


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

I buy all plastic bottles and i found out along time ago when it comes to selling its not what you like, its what the customer likes! I also found out that if you have a nice presentable product its gonna sell and might even get word of mouth! I go for quality not quanity! I have had compliments on my bottles from several buyers so far. Good Luck!!!


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## southeastflorida (May 23, 2010)

Question:
Are glass mason quarts (ball or Kerr) ready to go, from store,
do they need rinsing?

Like the Ball name image, but Kerr leaves flat spaces to put label.
Ball quarts (in this area) have all 4 sides with raised designs, no where to put a label.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I would put the jars through the dish washer whether they are new or old. That give them a heat cycle if nothing else.

We always put the label on the lid because that part gets thrown away so it is easier to reuse the jar.

There are so many versions of Ball jars just get the plain ones if you want to label the jar itself. If you are selling a product you would be taking a chance if the jar is not new.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Ace, if you are labeling your honey for sale, I believe the label must be on the jar, by law. Not that you are likely going to have a Weights and Measures Inspector from NYS Dept. of Ag&Mkts checking your jars of honey, but, if you ever do sell any honey thatn gets resold in stores, there are Rules and Regs on what must appear on a Label and probably where that label should be placed.

It's real easy for the caps to be switched and thereby have the wrong honey in the jar according to what it says on ther Label on the lid. Because of your size, I imagine that isn't a problem, yet.

My favorite jars for honey are brand new honey jars fro Wixson Honey Inc, Dundee, NY.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

sqkcrk, 

Have you ever ordered form Burch bottle in Waterford (near Albany)?
I've used their bottles for non honey related food items n the past. As they are closer to Brasher Falls you might save on shipping. Not sure what they carry in plastic but I know that they have several sizes of queenline glass jars


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I usually get a pallet of a certain size and then partial pallets of other stuff when I go to Dundee, which is 50 miles more driving than going to Albany would be for me. Jerry gets a semi load of glass and etc from Gamber Container, the owner of a number of the molds necassary to make jars, like the 5 lb round glass jar and the bears, so I can't imagine anyone else being less costly. But thanks for the suggestion.

Unlike some other suppliers based in NY who need not be mentioned, Jerry is real service oriented. Which I imagine he learned at least partly from Roscoe. Jerry has been very good to me and even if some item cost a little more, that wouldn't be enuf to put me off Wixson Honey Co.

They will ship some items too. Like boxes of bears or invert jars, caps and kd boxes.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

Thanks, that's good to know.
And Dundee is a lot closer to Elmira than Waterford, to boot!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Beregondo said:


> And Dundee is a lot closer to Elmira than Waterford, to boot!


How far is Elmira to Canadaigua? Having a beekeepers picnic on the VA grounds on July 23. Potluck w/ Tom Seeley speaking. No admission charged. Potluck.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

about 25 miles past the far end of Seneca Lake, or a little over an hour and an half. I'll talk to Mrs and might come. Can you msg me with time and location, please?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Check out eshpa.org for more info. Look under Events.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> How far is Elmira to Canadaigua? Having a beekeepers picnic on the VA grounds on July 23. Potluck w/ Tom Seeley speaking. No admission charged. Potluck.


I was going to say a stone throw...

As far as labeling food I am not as privy to the laws as I am with medical but once the product is opened it could be placed into another container so the label is lost either way. In the case of medical products you cannot have different products running on the same line at the same time. the logistics of literature, labeling, and lot codes can be a nightmare for keeping control on the manufacturing floor. Very highly regulated. For small time honey you could just about get away with anything I would imagine. Although I would not see a reason to not allow the labeling on the lid if a vacuum was pulled proofing the seal is good. I would think the regulators and customers would like it.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I don't know what much of that has to do w/ NY State Labeling Laws, which apply to everyone selling a product which carries a label.

What regulators and customers would like has little if anything to do w/ the Laws.

But, as you stated, a small producer can get away w/ quite a lot, flying under the radar. But, that doesn't make it right.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> What regulators and customers would like has little if anything to do w/ the Laws.


It has to do with tamper resistant.
I will start another thread for S&G to see where this will go.


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