How do you get your jars back?

[tallen702]

So, let's face it. The most expensive part of this hobby (in the long run) is the glassware. I don't sell my stuff as that breaks the internal moral code of a hobby distiller (just as it would for a home brewer or home wine maker) but I do give quite a bit of it away. In fact, I'd say a good 80% of mine goes out the door in 8oz jelly jars which never seem to make their way back to me.

So, I know I'm not the only one with this problem, how do you guys go about getting your jars back? Or do you just chalk it up as a cost of being a hobbyist?

[MoonPie]

good ?
maybe ask for a deposit?
or even as for a donation of jars?
case of empties may equal a few full jars in return

[Bushman]

Mine usually go out to family or very very close friends. My son who winds up with the lions share knows no bottles no refills. The others are in bottles I don't care if I get back. My fishing partner brings me more Bushmill empty bottles than I can fill.

[heartcut]

Some return them, some don't. The return types keep getting freebies.

[Ghost]

a close friend of mine who has been the recipent of my work for a while now, just the other day he dropped off 2 flats of jars and 25 lbs of sugar!

[rtalbigr]

You'd think with family it wouldn't be a problem. I'd nag but that just ain't me, and probably wouldn't do any good anyway. I'm fixin to do like Bushman, no return no refill.

Big R

[spencer321]

My buddies who consume 75% of what I make occasionally surprise me with bags of sugar... because I never get my jars baxj

[Odin]

A group of friends of mine drink JD. They spare the bottles and give them to me. I have just had 10 bottles and filled them up with whiskey.

Odin.

[caiobabe]

A whole case of pint mason jars from Wal-Mart is like...8 or 9 bucks so i just buy and give them with booze to family. I get nothing in return except demand for more! Go figure.

[Odin]

Just thought that this picture is just to beautiful not to be posted. Ten JD bottles filled with a 45% strong, American white oak aged, rye/red wheat/matled barley combo. I am currently making an essence for old style geneva. I will take some of the base whiskey or maltwine out and add some essence. At least in three bottles. The others will continue to be whiskey's. Let's see how taste develops and then I will decide on how to use the other bottles.

Odin.

[thecroweater]

yep cracked it with the boys just the other week about this, said ok well bottles don't come back bottles don't go out easy. Guess what , they dropped half a boot load of bottles off , geez now I have to find something else to moan about

[Prairiepiss]

+1 on the bottles don't come back bottles don't go out.

But there are always times you know your not going to get them back. I try to use the freebies for them.

[HolyBear]

+2 on no jars in= no jars out...

In addition, I've started wiping down my jars before storing them. (Wiping all evidence of me off)was then slipping a glove on before I hand em one... paranoid? Yea, but it might help...

[just-a-sip]

to be honest all my jars came from my boys and believe me there is a lot
http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... p?id=18483

[Tater]

Make them bring their own damn jar.

[Richard7]

Make them bring their own damn jar.

I hear ya Tater! and if they show up with a plastic bottle, ask them if they have "lost there ever loving mind!"

[MountainWilliam Bill]

It's always BYOB (bring your own bottle). Or else you get the mostly-washed mayo jar!

But on a serious note, I, as a home brewer too, have numerous glass beer bottles laying around and a hand capper. I can thoroughly clean and recap with no residual tastes. We don't have bottle deposits here, so I am only out the cost of the cap (<$0.02). There is a secondary benefit of using a beer bottle...Johnny Law probably isn't going to open it up, but a Mason jar is a clear indicator that something nefarious is inside.