Homemade Berry Liquor Bottling?

[ctflowers]

For those of you who have made homemade blueberry or raspberry (or whatever kind) liquor, where do you find bottles to put the liquor in? I'm planning on making raspberry liquor for Christmas gifts and can't seem to find bottles to put the liquor in at craft stores. I'm looking for something smaller than a regular sized wine bottle, maybe 1/2 the size in clear glass. Any suggestions from those who have done this???

[Scottes]

Beer- & Wine-making establishments will have some nice ones. You probably have some someplace local, but here is one online with some nice bottles:

http://beer-wine.com

Bottles:
http://www.beer-wine.com/category_page.asp?categoryID=82&sectionID=2
This is a very nice-looking half-size, clear, that lets the liqueur shows through:
http://www.beer-wine.com/product.asp?sectionID=2&CategoryID=82&productID=78

Don't forget corks! The "T-Tops" are great for gifts, no cork-puller needed and they're "re-sealable"
http://www.beer-wine.com/category_page.asp?categoryID=81&sectionID=2
Granted, you can go with screw-caps, but the bottles aren't as nice and the final product isn't as nice. IMHO

To finish the bottles, these PVC Bottle Seals shrink-wrap over the cork, and are a must for gifts:
http://www.beer-wine.com/category_page.asp?categoryID=78&sectionID=2

And if you use them, get a "Fast-Seal" tool. If you want a great finish on those PVC wrappers, or if you're going to do more than a half-dozen, you really want this little tool. Saves burnt fingers, too.
http://www.beer-wine.com/product.asp?...

[ctflowers]

Scottes, thank you so much for the links! I have another question...if I want to use corks for the bottles, do I have to purchase a corker? I'm only planning on making 4-6 bottles of the raspberry liquor, so I don't want to invest in tools I probably won't use again.

[Papa Kip Chee]

Clear glass 375's, screw-top:

http://www.ebottles.com/showbottles.a...

Careful with clear glass though. The natural colors of berries don't take well to exposure to light and can go brown and nasty quickly... on the other hand if you're giving away 375 ml sizes, I am sure it will get consumed quickly.

[ctflowers]

I'm planning on straining the berry/sugar mix out of the vodka (after keeping in a dark place for one month), so I won't be leaving any berries in the bottles that I plan on gift giving. The liquid itself wouldn't turn brown would it?

[Papa Kip Chee]

yeah, if you're doing an infusion/maceration of the berries with alcohol, then the color that is surrendered by the berries into the liqueur is a natural colro extract of those fruits. These extracts are not very heat/light stable.

[Scottes]

The T-Top corks don't require a corker. They'll insert tightly, but you can twist them in an out with relative ease.

[ctflowers]

Thanks...I'd rather use the t-top corks...they have some with clear tops, which I think will look classier than the white or black tops.

[JMF]

Make sure you get the plastic T-corks rather than real cork. They work better and last longer and never break off in the bottle.

[ctflowers]

Thanks for the info. about the plastic T-corks...I'll definitely get those instead of the real t-corks.

[Scottes]

The link I posted was for the plastic kind.