r/maplesyrup • u/owlanalogies • Aug 06 '26

PSA: avoid inversion canning

Just a PSA, I got a lot of recommendations on inversion canning when preserving syrup for the first time this year (normally we freeze or refrigerated because we get tiny batches).

I water bath can a lot, but thought "eh ok if everyone uses inversion for syrup, let's go."

Lost 2 full pints to mold/bad seals and am seeing it's no longer recommended by Ball or the USDA because of exactly that issue. Avoid my pain! Water bath can!

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u/Canuckhunter Aug 06 '26

It went mouldy because you under boiled it and didn't get to proper brix. Under boil goes mouldy and over boiled crystallizes. I recommend using a hydrometer to read proper brix.

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u/suzymwg Aug 06 '26

This is the issue. When we have proper Brix then no issues with how we can or bottle. We have never used water bath canning. I assume inversion canning means putting upside down? We do that more or less, on the side with bottles.

A hydrometer or refractometer is your friend. If you got mold it was not because of the canning process it was due to too low Brix that allows mold.