Ball Jars for Hop and Yeast Storage Review

Ball has been around since 1880. They are a trusted name in the canning industry. Ball offers a wide variety of sizes and styles of jars. Beyond canning, they are a cheap solution to store many things. Hops and yeast are perfectly stored in ball jars.

Ball jelly jars are a great way to store smaller batches of hops cheaply. They hold 8oz by liquid volume. This equates to exactly 2oz of hops by weight. Technically they are for canning but provide an airtight seal for your hops. You can calculate other sizes by dividing their liquid oz by 4. Try to keep your hops at around at least 38F to 25F for optimal storage life.

Washing yeast is a great way to save money and conserve a batch of healthy strong yeast. The larger quart and bigger ball jars are great for storing yeast. First of all, wash your yeast and then siphon off the creamy colored yeast off the trub. Your yeast should be viable for several months and can be used several times till something starts tasting off.

All the sizes consist of a glass jar and metal screw top. The caps are made for heat sealing but provide a nice near airtight seal for dry and some liquid ingredients. They offer a great place to write down any notes. The glass is BPA free so no worries of chemical leaching. The caps consist of a metal ring and plate that form an airtight seal when heated. They are glass so keep in mind they will break if dropped.

Sanitizing the jars is pretty straightforward. You can either boil them for a few minutes or use Star San in them. I generally boil them so I don’t waste my Star San. Use a pair of canning tongs to remove them from the boiling water and let drain on paper towel. I really wouldn’t bother with sanitizing the caps. Simply lay them up on a clean surface till your jars dry. Cap them and they should be ready for use.

Verdict: Ball jars are a cheap way to store hops and yeast over long periods of time.

PROS:

• Cheap
• Almost airtight
• BPA Free
• Easily Cleaned
• Reusable forever

CONS:

• Will shatter if dropped
• Heavier than plastic