In the spring of 2015, Bernardin released large purple coloured jars.
They are 1 litre (technically 946 ml, so 3 tbsps short of a full litre) in size and have a wide mouth.
They have a less ornate, simpler Bernardin logo on the front, and are blank on the two sides, and just a bit of writing on the back at the bottom, so finding somewhere to affix a label will be easy.
You may wish to also learn about the green version of these Bernardin jars.
In the States, the parent Jarden company released these same jars with the Ball logo on them instead:
Ball also had them released in the smaller ½ litre (1 US pint size).
The wide mouth, and colour, will make them perfect for packing beets, plain or pickled, into.
These jars are good for both pressure canning and water-bath canning.
Are coloured canning jars safe to use?
We asked Bernardin directly back in February 2016, and got this answer:
All of Bernardin jars are safe for any type of canning, including fermenting. Rest assured that anything that we put our name on is completely and utterly safe for canning, preserving and fermenting.” [1]Emery Brine to Healthy Canning. Email on file. 2 February 2016.
References
| ↑1 | Emery Brine to Healthy Canning. Email on file. 2 February 2016. |
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Christine Chebry
It is a shame that these are impossible to find unless you buy on Amazon for outrageous amounts of money. I wish the company would sell limits to individual customers. I am also having an insane time finding just regular clear Ball mason jars here in Calgary, AB. It’s as if people buy them all up immediately and re-sell for profits online.
Susan
Gorgeous jars. Out of curiosity, what chemical is used to turn the glass purple? And green?
Susan
Can you comment on this article addressing how the colour is obtained in the glass? I realize they are talking about antique glass in the article. I am curious if the same process is used for these ‘new’ jars. https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Nuked-or-Irradiated-Fruit-Jars
Thanks!
Healthy Canning
Hi Susan, very good question, and I’m afraid I don’t know. Here’s a PR piece from what we used to now as the Anchor Glass company (now called Ardagh) talking about the manufacture of the blue jars — but they don’t say what actually and specifically goes into the glass, and it doesn’t cover the green and the purple that you are interested in. https://www.ardaghgroup.com/news-centre/the-perfect-mason I’d contact Ball / Bernardin themselves directly and ask. I know you aren’t the first person who has wondered, so they might possibly have the answer to hand.
Laura
I canned tomatoes in the purple jars and the seal let go while they were in storage. Everything was spoiled. It was disappointing to have done all of that work with fresh tomatoes from the garden only to have to throw everything out.
I also made black currant jam and had the same issue using the smaller jam jars. The only thing that I can see is the gold lids have a better gasket. The silver lids do not.
Healthy Canning
Hi Laura, can you tell me which tested recipe you used to can the tomatoes with? Also, which tested recipe did you use for the black currant jam?
Pete
Can these purple vintage jars support me manufacturing sauerkraut in them? I heard, don’t make ferments in coloured glass jars.
Healthy Canning
Hi Peter, rather than just giving you my opinion, I contacted Bernardin and asked. The response was that all Bernardin jars and Ball jars (they are sister companies, with the jars made in the same factory), including the coloured jars, “are safe for any type of canning, including fermenting. Rest assured that anything that we put our name on is completely and utterly safe for canning, preserving and fermenting.”
Hope that helps.