Bottles for Herbal Tea and Where To Get Them

Amber glass bottles are traditionally used to protect the tea from degenerative effects of light. But clear glass bottles kept in brown paper bags does protect the tea if you don't want to invest in amber bottles! You can find Amber glass bottles online for as little as 98¢ each or you can use "freebies" you already have. In the US, they are known as "Amber Boston Round" and in UK they are called "Amber Winchester".  The 16 oz. size holds a pint of herbal tea, the 32 oz.size holds a quart. Water is lost in boiling and strained-out herb residue, depending on whether herbs are powdered or cut (cut herb residue soaks up more water).

Approximate number of bottles needed:

Fourteen 16-ounce pint bottles, or seven 32-ounce quart bottles if using
1 cup herb mix + 2 gallons of water (yield of about 224 liquid ounces of tea).

Seven 16-ounce bottles, or three and a half 32-ounce quart bottles if using
1/2 cup herb mix + 1 gallon of water (yield of about 112 liquid ounces of tea)

Three and a half 16-ounce bottles, or almost two 32-ounce quart bottles if using
1/4 cup herb mix + 1/2 gallon of water (yield of about 56 liquid ounces of tea).

All bottles (and caps) must be washed and sterilized before filling with tea.
Store unopened and bagged bottles of tea in a dark cool place like a closet or drawer.
Always refrigerate an opened bottle of tea.

What about using plastic bottles to store an herbal tea?
Always use glass. Because a sheep sorrel-based tea is acidic, it has traditionally been stored in glass containers because glass is inert or chemically unreactive. Plastic can react and "gas off" into the tea, especially if the bottle is an inferior resiliant plastic, like plastic pop bottles or plastic milk bottles. The same applies to storing dry herbs in "grocery store" plastic baggies and ziplocks for an extended period of time, store them properly in glass jars in a dark cool place.

Why store a dark-colored bottle in a dark refrigerator?
Chris Corpening R.N. has something to say about that:

I am not aware of any available data that has tested the time factor and the amount of light subjected to herbs (in terms of diminishing quality). In other words, I see the common sense in the question. However, I prefer to follow on the side of caution.

So, if it is a known fact that light is an enemy of herbs, why not care for your product as such? None of us can say for sure that tea bottles subjected to light during the brief 2-3 week period would have any or no effect on the potency of the tea (unless tests have been done). I advise my customers to put the bottle(s) in a brown paper bag in refrigerator if they are using clear-glass bottles or jars.

The lid or cap is important, it should not be made of metal because of the potential for adversely interacting with the tea. Plastic caps may have liners to help seal, eventually they become worn out or fall out.

SKS Bottle & Packaging
www.sks-bottle.com

SKS offer a large assortment of glass, plastic, and metal containers, which are useful for herbal packaging needs.

Specialty Bottle Supply
www.specialtybottle.com
5215 5th Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98108
Phone (206) 340-0459
Fax (206) 903-0785

Use catalog number BRA16 or BRA32 in site's "Search" box to locate item quickly.
Caps are included, no minimum order required, shipped UPS.

    BRA16 16 oz Amber Rnd w/ Std Cap  $ .98 each
    BRA32 32 oz Amber Rnd w/ Std Cap  $1.69 each

Costs confirmed March 20, 2006

E.D. Luce Packaging
www.essentialsupplies.com
1600 East 29th St.
Signal Hill, CA 90755
Phone: (562) 997-9777
Fax: (562) 997-0117

Sold only by case lot of 12 bottles or 12 caps.
Use catalog number BRA16 or BRA32 in site's "Search" box to locate item quickly.

BA16  Boston Rounds 16 oz without caps, case of 12 =  $11.00  (requires cap size 28-400)
BA32  Boston Rounds 32 oz without caps, case of 12 =  $18.36  (requires cap size 33-400)

Use catalog number M03029 or M03030 in site's "Search" box to locate item quickly.

M03029  Caps black Phenolic 28-400 (12 caps) for $2.50 (for 16 oz Boston Round bottles)
M03030  Caps Black Phenolic 33-400 (12 caps) for $2.60 (for 32 oz Boston Round bottles)

Costs confirmed March 20, 2006

Sunburst Bottle Company
www.sunburstbottle.com
4500 Beloit Drive
Sacramento, CA 95838
Phone: 916.929.4500
Fax: 916.929.3604

Use catalog number AB16 or AB32 in site's "Search" box to locate item quickly.
Sold only by 12/cs (case lot of 12 bottles with caps).

AB16  16 oz. Boston Rounds Amber w/Black Screw Cap 12/cs   $15.00

AB32  32oz Boston Rounds Amber w/Black Screw Cap 12/cs   $18.00

Costs confirmed March 20, 2006

"Freebies" are colored glass bottles you might already have.

Try to avoid metal caps (look for a plastic cap from something else that fits).
One reader buys prune juice, throws out the juice and uses the dark amber bottle.
Another uses colored wine bottles but did not say what he did with the wine. (grin)

Marietta writes:

We used colored 12 oz bottles and corks (Mexican beverage). Boiled the bottles but didn't want to boil corks, I was afraid they would hold moisture or mildew so I put corks briefly in alcohol. Then we filled sterile bottles and corked them, hammered cork in and waxed the tops.

Eric writes:

I found a steady supply of the amber bottles when we were brewing the tea for my mother -- chemo and surgery surviver! We used the bottles my aloe vera gel was sold in. I drank the gel, filled the empties with essiac tea. Everybody was glowing.

Donna writes:

Recently I began brewing essiac for my father. I found that IBC Root Beer comes in quart size amber glass bottles with screw-type lids for about $1.59. These appear to be widely available, at least they are in northwest Pennsylvania where we are.

Marie writes:

I use the IBC Root Beer glass quart bottles too. Wal-Mart has them,
a recent price was 68¢ per quart. The caps are screw plastic caps.

Susan writes:

I found Schweppe's ginger ale in 10 oz. green glass bottles with plastic lids. The green isn't dark enough so my little bottles are wearing alumnimum foil jackets. Did I drink all the ginger ale? Burp -- managed to drink four of the six in the pack with help from husband and daughter. The sink enjoyed the other two!

Do you know of other good bottle sources?

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