Bottle & Jar Packaging Ideas

When making homemade jams, chutneys, craft beers, or wines, sterilising your glass jars and bottles is essential. Without proper sterilisation, harmful bacteria can spoil your creations, affect taste, and shorten shelf life. As autumn arrives and kitchens fill with the scent of chutneys and spiced plum jam, it's the perfect time to make sure your jam jars and bottles are properly prepared. The good news? Sterilising glass containers at home is simple, and you don’t need any specialist equipment. In this guide, we’ll show you three easy ways to sterilise glass jars and bottles, along with extra tips to keep your containers safe, clean, and ready to use for the season ahead. Why Sterilise Glass Jars and Bottles? Prevents spoilage and mould growth. Keeps food and drink fresh for longer. Maintains flavour and quality. Essential for home canning, preserving, brewing, or winemaking. Boiling Water Sterilisation Boiling is the most traditional and effective way to sterilise jars and bottles. It requires minimal equipment and guarantees thorough sterilisation - making it ideal for small batches of autumn chutney or seasonal fruit preserves. What You'll Need: Glass jars or bottles A large pot with a lid A [...]

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Homebrewing is more than just a hobby; it's a creative way to carry on a long-standing tradition that connects beer lovers around the world. Choosing the right bottles is key to maintaining the taste and quality of your homemade beer. The ideal bottle will keep your beer fresh and safe and make it look and feel more appealing when you pour it. Whether you're just starting with your first batch or you've been brewing for a while and want to perfect your craft, it's essential to know about the different types of bottles you can use. This guide will walk you through the options, from the clear beauty of glass bottles to the unique touch of ceramic. We'll help you figure out the best bottles for your beer, making sure every batch you brew turns out just right. Jump to a section: Clear Glass Bottles Ceramic Bottles Kegs Accessories Clear Glass Bottles Clear glass bottles are a popular choice among homebrewers for several reasons. One of the biggest advantages is their transparency, which allows brewers to appreciate their beer's true colour and clarity while also keeping an eye on sediment formation without needing to open the bottle. This means that as well as the bottle looking gorgeous, it has practical [...]

People have been making marmalade with oranges for centuries. And in all that time, not much has changed in the marmalade recipe. The Romans were some of the first people to make what we’d call marmalade today, with one recipe noted down in the first century. But it wasn’t until the 18th century that the orange marmalade recipe was fixed in its most familiar form. English cookbooks of this period are the first to mention the familiar ‘jelly’ that’s a central part of modern marmalade. From here, it wasn’t long until orange marmalade became the staple of the breakfast table that it is today. How to Make Marmalade Making marmalade with oranges requires very few ingredients and even less equipment. For this recipe you’ll want to have these ingredients to hand: 1kg of Oranges Juice from 2 Lemons 2kg of granulated sugar Firstly place the oranges and the lemon juice into a pan. Fill the pan with 2 litres of water, ensuring the oranges are fully submerged. Now bring the pan to boil, and leave it covered and simmering for a couple of hours. If you can easily pierce the orange peel with a fork, that’s a sign they’re ready. [...]

Candles are one of the easiest and most satisfying pieces of home décor you can create yourself. Candle making is an extremely rewarding activity, allowing you to design home décor items that are attractive, practical and easy to customise. Making your own candle can save money, allow you to choose interesting ingredients, and is better for the environment than many store-bought brands. A homemade candle has a wide range of uses, from lighting in the event of a power blackout to ambient lighting to set the mood for a romantic evening. Best of all candle making is very easy, great as a hobby, to sell or for gift giving. Here is our guide to making your own candle at home. Ingredients A package of candle wax. A package of large candle wicks. A bottle of fragrance oil. Spatula. Heat-proof container. Double boiler pot. Thermometer. A pair of chopsticks or pencils. Making Your Own Candle Before you begin making your candle, ensure the surface you intend to work on is flat and clean. Lay down a protective covering such as newspaper if necessary and make sure your work surface is clear. Measure out the correct amount of wax you need to [...]

When you're browsing the drinks aisle, sloe gin might not be the first bottle that catches your eye. But learn how to make sloe gin at home, and you'll see why it's such a beloved British classic. Not only is it simple to prepare, but it also makes a thoughtful homemade gift, especially at Christmas. There are plenty of sloe gin recipes out there, but this is one of the easiest. Think of it as a simple sloe gin recipe that anyone can follow, whether you're new to home infusions or looking to refine your own recipe for sloe gin. Sloes are the small, tart berries of the blackthorn tree. When steeped in gin, their sharpness mellows into a rich, fruity flavour with a hint of almond. The process lowers the alcohol content of the gin from around 40% ABV to roughly 25% creating a smoother drink.  Many people enhance their sloe gin recipe with cinnamon, vanilla or other spices, creating a rich winter warmer that's best enjoyed on a cold evening. This seasonal tradition is why sloe gin is so often linked with Christmas- whether sipped by the fire, mixed into a festive sloe gin cocktail or presented in [...]

Sparkling mead is a delicious beverage at any time of the year. It makes for a refreshing cool drink in the summer months and can feel warm and inviting in the winter. The other great thing about mead, sparkling or otherwise, is that it is easy to create at home. All you need to make excellent homemade mead is the right equipment and ingredients. Here is our guide to creating your own sparkling mead at home. What You Need A container such as a carboy for fermentation. The container should have an airlock with a drilled rubber stopper. A second large container. Hydrometer Siphoning hose. Strong bottles for handling carbonation, such as beer and cider bottles. Strong bottle seals such as Champagne corks. 12 cups of distilled or spring water. 1.4kg of honey. 5g of yeast. 1/2 tsp of yeast energiser 1/2 tsp of yeast nutrient 3/4 tsp of Potassium Sorbate   How to Make Sparkling Homemade Mead Sanitise all equipment. Avoid using bleach as this can ruin the fermentation process. Add four cups of hot water to your container followed by 1.25kg of honey. Mix the honey and water well. Add eight cups of cold water to the mixture [...]