How 'bout bottling w/the screwtop Mason jars, anyone tried this?
They come in various sizes, too.

Matter of fact, I have a couple Mason jars w/handles on them as beer mugs--think I bought them at the Pottery Barn in Atlanta a few years ago.

I would call Mr. Beer and ask them. My first reaction is NO. You should use bottles that are designed to handle the pressure of carbonation which is why they suggest only using old bottles that have help a carbonated beverage. I am not sure if Mason jars are designed for that. In addition, I would be worried about a screw on cap holding in the pressure - you may end up with bleed.

If you are using regular mason jars that you would normally use for canning purposes, you shouldn't have a problem as they are tempered glass that can withstand the rigors of high and low temperature/pressure swings. In concert with these jars, you should use the canning tops that have a seal that is compressed when the ring is placed on the outer edge. Something like this...

http://www.homeandbeyond.com/prod-0002284-zoom.html

I'm not sure about the mason jars with the handles, if they are made to the same standard or not. You can proceed at your own risk with those. However, you will have a layer of trub at the bottom of the jar after carbonation and unless you want your beer "mit hefe" (with the yeast sediment), typical of your weizens, you may be want to pour your finished product into a clean glass.

"I'm not sure about the mason jars with the handles, if they are made to the same standard or not."
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Looks like the original Mason jar w/handles--either someone did an excellent job of attaching the handles, or possibly even the manufacturer put them out that way as a publicity thing, maybe.

Nice! Is that the dirty south's way of bottling?

I like it!!!

The canning jars, definitely. They are under so much more stress/pressure when canning. Just leave some room for air.

Multiple sites for Mason jar mugs w/handles--all over the Net--some as low as 68 cents each, others less than that by the case.

Wikipedia history shows the Mason jars to have been around since the 1850s. First ones needed hot wax poured into top of jar for sealing. I recall now folks still using them in the 1950s w/the metal clamp that held the glass tops on --it was called "canning" for some reason.

http://tinyurl.com/yq3rl5

I think the idea is a crafty one,but.....I believe the reason the mouth of a bottle and also a second fermentation charboy vessel is tappered down, is to reduce surface concact with air.....I could be wrong and usually am....

Just thought I'd add some input here. Might work out just fine, give one jar a shot and let us know!

Beer wisdom......tasty!

"I think the idea is a crafty one,but.....I believe the reason the mouth of a bottle and also a second fermentation charboy vessel is tappered down, is to reduce surface concact with air....."
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Yep--I see yer point, and I was just speculating anyway--I may remember to try the idea out w/one Mason jar next time I'm bottling...or maybe not.

Being an old Maverick myself, I tend to think all these dos and don'ts are warp and woof of the same thing that the purists spout off on, like Mr Beer being not in the same league w/real brewing, etc.

Some of these things have something of a foundation in truth to one degree or another--but which things and to what degre, that is the question.


Dick G
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Since these vessels are made to specifically handle high pressures/temps, wonder if you would need to leave any headspace at all? Of course, when you open you could lose a little of your beer if it foams.

Another idea is to slightly over prime and let the tops sit loosely on the jars a short bit (couple of hours). This way any CO2 that is produced would displace any residual air in the jar. Then you could tighten the lids down and effectively have a "protective" CO2 barrier from your other headspace gases.

TO expand on my initial reaction to the jars: Although they look similar, the jars with handles may not be made with the same material or to the same grade as the other Ball or Mason jars used for canning. It might be worth a call to the manufacturer/distributor to extract some more info.