qt mason jar - bad idea ?

I had a bit remaining in the bottling bucket which would not get out of the spigot, so I poured the remains into a Mason Jar, and sealed it tight...

Is this a problem ?

It probably won't carbonate, mason jars are designed to hold a vacuum, not positive pressure.

I usually take the last bit from the bottling bucket and funnel it into a .5L spring water bottle. I squeeze all of the air out until the beer is at the very top and cap tightly. As the beer carbonates it fills the headspace and expands the bottle. When the bottle has filled out and become hard, your bottled beer is at about full carbonation. The expanding bottle gives a good visual indicator of the progress of your carbonation. It's also a good way to have a "quality control" sample without uncapping one of your precious beers before its time.

Chad

I pour that last bit out for my homies. Actually, I usually just dump it. But maybe for the homies from now on...

Please take the brew out of the mason jar. If the jar blew it could get ugly. I bottle in 2 liter soda bottles. Please be safe!

I make starters in mason jars before using my flask, I can assure you they do NOT hold the pressure of even that, let alone bottling.

I had some friends that made some "Beer" I use that term loosely. But they bottled the "Beer" in some mason jars, they held pressure fine and carbed up normally. I would however not recommend doing this.

How about using a mason jar to hold yeast? I have one full of 3068 and i'd like to know that it's not going to waste.

Cheesefood said:

How about using a mason jar to hold yeast? I have one full of 3068 and i'd like to know that it's not going to waste.

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That's how I store mine, haven't had any problems.

Mason jars are clear so the beer could easily get skunked if exposed to light.

But pressure is pressure. If the seal is good it will hold pressure. whether it's a vacuum or positive pressure. Used tops rarely ever seal good so new tops are pretty much a requirement.

I agree that plastic soda bottles are a better alternative.

abracadabra said:

...But pressure is pressure. If the seal is good it will hold pressure. whether it's a vacuum or positive pressure...

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The lid of a mason jar is not designed to contain the lid under outward pressure. It is only to keep the lid from being knocked loose during storage.

bradsul said:

The lid of a mason jar is not designed to contain the lid under outward pressure. It is only to keep the lid from being knocked loose during storage.

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Nevertheless. It will hold positive pressure

Pressure is expressed as "pounds pe square inch." The lid on a Mason jar has quite a few square inches, as opposed to a beer bottle cap. They are that way on purpose.

When you do some canning, the boilng water creates some pressure in the bottle. The heat also weakens the rubber seal, (temporarily) at the same time. The pressure is vented, and when the bottle cools (along with the tomatoes you just canned) the top of the lid bows down, like it is supposed to. (You can hear them snap down, as the bottles cool.)

Now, if you store some yeast in one, without any fermentables, you'll be just fine. If you try to ferment beer in one, the bottle will probably be safe. It will robably blow off pressure, safely, and keep on fermenting. You may even be able to bottle condition in one, too. I wouldn't waste my heard-earned beer, though.

They are designed to take a vacuum, not pressure..

steve

WOW!

Glad I asked you guys !

So far, so good (no explosions) ... but I think I should find another home for that last little bit ....

water bottle technique sounds do-able...or the 2 L soda bottle (which I have used before with success)

abracadabra said:

But pressure is pressure. If the seal is good it will hold pressure. whether it's a vacuum or positive pressure.

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negative pressure is not positive pressure. A piece of plastic covering a small hole will hold considerable negative pressure but not one bit of positive pressure. The lid of a mason jar is kind of like the piece of plastic.
And thats a good thing because the mason jar is not nearly as strong as a beer bottle so if the top could hold pressure you would easily produce jar bombs.
Craig

CBBaron said:

negative pressure is not positive pressure. A piece of plastic covering a small hole will hold considerable negative pressure but not one bit of positive pressure.

The lid of a mason jar is kind of like the piece of plastic.
And thats a good thing because the mason jar is not nearly as strong as a beer bottle so if the top could hold pressure you would easily produce jar bombs.
Craig

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OK I'll concede your first point.

However your second point that "The lid of a mason jar is kind of like the piece of plastic." I'd have to dispute, in your example there is nothing holding the plastic on. Whereas in the real world there is a threaded lid or ring holding the top in place.

And I stand by my statement that it will work. And others on this forum have also attested to the fact that they tried it and it worked for them.

Argue with success if you like. How many jar bombs have you had?

I also pointed out to the OP that there are better alternatives.

This is alot of discussion for less than a bottle of beer.

iamjonsharp said:

This is alot of discussion for less than a bottle of beer.

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Yes, but as my ten year old daughter will attest, "beer is precious" and we certainly want to make sure we help a fellow brewer save every last drop.

It's unbelievable to me that someone would want to argue with the wording of a suggestion 4 days after the OP posts a question and makes a decision on what to do.

To put this issue to rest, I decided to take my chances and let it ride in the Mason jar ....

Nice little yeast cake has formed - like a micro-secondary ...

I DID open the lid and you were right --- absolutely NO FSST (which I kind of expected anyway)

But 6.2% is 6.2% ! Right ??

SWMBO and I each had one last night (carbonated, of course ) WOW!

Thx for the replies ... I just love this forum

kappclark said:

To put this issue to rest, I decided to take my chances and let it ride in the Mason jar ....

Nice little yeast cake has formed - like a micro-secondary ...

I DID open the lid and you were right --- absolutely NO FSST (which I kind of expected anyway)

But 6.2% is 6.2% ! Right ??

SWMBO and I each had one last night (carbonated, of course ) WOW!

Thx for the replies ... I just love this forum

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Just curious, did you use a new or an old lid?

I used an old lid - put it on tightly, but an old lid

Professor Frink said:

I pour that last bit out for my homies. Actually, I usually just dump it. But maybe for the homies from now on...

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Are you out of your mind! That is Home Brew abuse. Pour the rest into a glass and toast your newly bottled beer!