Dec
12
Where to Get Bottles for Homemade Vanilla
ByI’ve had many questions about where to find small bottles for your homemade vanilla.
After quite a bit of research, I am going to recommend buying them from Mountain Rose Herbs. You want to buy the amber bottles. Clear bottles are not as good for your vanilla. I recommend either the 4 ounce or the 8 ounce bottles.
Also, if you want some super cute labels to put on the bottles of vanilla you’re giving away, I recommend Delight Design. Char will custom make your labels to look any way you want. She does fabulous work.
AND, don’t forget to complete your gift with a set of What to Do With Vanilla Recipe Cards. You can still get them here for a super sale price!
Thank you! I just ordered some!
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Laura – are you getting the bottles with the $14 plus shipping rate?? I’m confused at your final calculation for the cost of your vanilla when the bottles themselves end up being almost $2 each? Am I doing something wrong? I’m excited to make this as gifts but the cost doesn’t seem to match up right?
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Laura Reply:
August 27th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Oh boy, it’s been so long since I ordered, I truly don’t remember what I paid for shipping or how that all worked. When I calculated the cost of vanilla in my other post, I wasn’t adding in the cost of the bottle, I forgot. I’ve asked most of the recipients of my vanilla to give the bottle back to me when they’re done!! Hopefully they’ll remember!
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C Dazey Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Just out of curiosity, did you end up getting most of your bottles back? I have a batch of vanilla going, and am contemplating how I will give it to my recipients. Thanks!
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Laura Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
No, I don’t actually think I got any of the bottles back. But I didn’t ask for them back either. Since I gave it as gifts, I hesitated to ask, although with family, I suppose they surely wouldn’t mind!
Laura Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Oh that’s funny – I see here that I originally replied that I DID ask for the bottles back. I totally forgot that I’d asked, since no one remembered to give them to me! Or, maybe they’re still using their vanilla?? :)
Stacey Reply:
September 4th, 2010 at 10:11 am
I went through the website posted (sks-bottle.com) and with shipping mine were $1 a bottle! :)
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Stacey Reply:
September 4th, 2010 at 10:13 am
OOPS! Misread my order deal….I went through http://www.specialtybottle.com
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Rebecca Reply:
November 5th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Mine weren’t $1 a bottle at Specialty, I got 15 for $29 shipped, but much better
than the 15 for $50 at Mountain Rose…hopefully they are just as nice!
Cori Walkden Reply:
June 18th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
The best price so far was the specialtybottle.com – I ordered 20 bottles at $.68 each and shipping was $9.78, much better than the 19 and $15 from Mountain Rose and the other sites I checked. Thanks for the heads up.
Do you think blue bottles would work as well as the amber?
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Laura Reply:
September 11th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
I guess so, as long as they keep the light out!
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Do the bottles need to be glass or plastic?
Thanks so much I started making mine in June and can’t wait to surprise everyone at Christmas with these!!
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Laura Reply:
September 11th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Glass is really best!
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I purchase my vanilla beans from ebay for a much better price. If you use 6 beans in a 9 oz. jar it only takes 2 mos to be ready.
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Priscilla Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 10:20 am
What were your thoughts on the beans, when they arrived? I’ve seen some on ebay, for a little bit cheaper. How did you like the vanilla? Is this really cheaper than just buying pure vanilla?
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Penni Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I love it. I bought two different kinds of vanilla and both sets were
awesome when they arrived. The vanilla is amazing.
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I’m trying to round up used bottles from Goodwill, my mother in laws kitchen etc…lol. But I think I’m gonna order some blue glass 4 oz from Specialty Bottles. Would be so pretty for gifts. And we’re gonna use Everclear instead of Vodka. Let it sit for 6 months then strain, dilute 1/2 & 1/2 with distilled water then bottle.
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I am currently making vanilla for my daughters wedding reception gifts for her guests. So excited to see the finished product. This is real vanilla and makes such a difference in your baking! No comparison to what you get at the store. For 300 2oz bottles it will end up being just over one dollar each….WOW!!! That includes the vanilla beans from ebay, bottles from specialty bottles and the vodka.
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Another good place to buy bottles for much cheaper is containerandpackaging.com.
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If you put the vanilla beans (about 3 or 4) in the individual bottles (split length-wise) and then fill with vodka (or light rum – which I prefer), you can just top off the vodka or rum as you use the vanilla, and one bottle will last for years. Let the vanilla sit about 6 weeks initially, no need to let it sit when you top it off, unless you add a lot of vodka/rum at once. As long as you keep the beans covered, they will not go bad and your vanilla will continue to be wonderful! I’ve been doing this for about 10 years now. I can usually get about 3 or 4 years out of one bottle (and I use it a LOT). You’ll know when you have to add more beans or start over as the scent and color will lessen. This will significantly cut down on the cost of making your vanilla as you won’t need to repeatedly purchase bottles, and it will allow your gift recipients to continue to use the vanilla for much longer. There is really no need to strain the vanilla when you use it. I shake the bottle each time before measuring out. Every now and then a tiny seed comes out, but these are fine – you won’t see or notice them in your finished project. All of my information on vanilla making comes from Steve at Hartley Herbs – he’s the one that sold me my first bottle of “Perpetual Vanilla” many, many years ago at a craft show in Florida.
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Dee Reply:
November 11th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Wow, Jennifer, that is so cool. What size bottle for 3-4 beans?
I like littler ones for my crowded spice cabinet. 4oz? 8oz?
Dee.
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Jennifer Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 7:22 am
My bottles are small. Probably about 5 oz (since I’m still using Steve’s jars and when I checked the website, that’s the size he uses). I find this a great size for storing in my cabinet and measuring out vanilla, but you could use a smaller size if you’d like. The best indicator of whether you have enough beans in your vanilla is the color and smell. It should smell like vanialla, not alcohol and the color should be a rich brown. If it’s not, add another bean.
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Another great option for purchasing bottles: http://www.abundanthealth4u.com/
When comparing, the site I just listed was a few cents more on bottles but less on shipping. I’m thinking the more I order the better it’ll come out to be in the end.
SKS, http://www.sks-bottle.com, has super deals on bulk quantaties but I don’t need so many bottles at this point.
http://www.specialtybottle.com was my second runner up in pricing for what I’m needing.
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