The other day I was watching TV and I saw the wildest thing. The couple in their nice new kitchen was drinking their morning coffee out of a mason jar. Being a coffee lover I’m sitting there wondering if coffee would really do well in a mason jar. So I did some checking and here’s what I came up with.
Can you put hot coffee in a mason jar?
No, you should not put hot coffee in a mason jar unless it is specifically designed for hot beverages. Since most mason jars aren’t made with heat resistant glass the hot liquid could cause a thermal shock to the glass causing it to break.
However, there are glass jars that are specifically made as drinkware and can hold hot beverages.
Why You Can’t Put Hot Liquids In A Mason Jar
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about putting hot liquids like coffee in a mason jar. But you shouldn’t do it, and here’s why it doesn’t work out well.
There are different ways to make glass, and and manufacturers can make a heat resistant glass. But it costs more. So why make a heat resistant glass if it’s not necessary? For food companies, the purpose of a mason jar is to store food, Therefore, the manufacturers don’t add silica to the glass to make it heat resistant. There would be no reason for them to add that additional cost. Now we know why mason jars aren’t heat resistant we can talk about what happens when you pour hot liquid in the jar.
What Happens When You Pour Hot Liquid Into A Mason Jar
When you poor hot liquid into a mason jar you run the risk of the glass breaking from thermal shock. This assumes the mason jar is room temperature.
If you’re familiar with canning (or jarring) any type of food you might be wondering why you can’t put hot coffee in a mason jar. It’s because with canning the mason jar is submerged in boiling water. Well, let’s explain this one.
When you’re canning foods you start with sanitizing the mason jar. This is usually done in boiling water. When you submerge the mason jar in water and turn the heat source on you’re allowing the temperature of the glass to rise at the same rate as the water. And this process is pretty slow. The entire glass warms at the same rate inside and out.
When you pour hot coffee in a mason jar the inside of the glass heats up very fast while the outside remains cool. This is what causes the thermal shock. Imagine what happens when you throw ice into hot water. It cracks! And the same principal applies to the mason jar. The jar might not always break, but the possibility is certainly there.
Another reason why you won’t want to drink hot coffee from a mason jar is because of heat transfer. The heat will transfer from the coffee, through the glass, and into your hand when you pick it up. I wash out my mason jars and don’t really like holding the glass as I rinse it with hot water. It hurts!
Here’s When You Can Put Hot Coffee In A Mason Jar
Mason jars are popular right now and people like them. Because of this manufacturers started making mason jars as drinkware so you can put your coffee or other hot drinks in a mason jar to drink out of. You’ll see mason jars with handles so they’re easier to hold, and other options such as a lid or a straw.
These heat resistant mason jars are perfect for your hot coffee and easier to drink out of with the handle.
Final Thoughts
Can you put hot coffee in a mason jar? Well, you can’t just wash out your old pasta jar and put your coffee in it the next morning. However, you could use it to store your coffee in the fridge.
If you want to drink your piping hot coffee out of a mason jar than you should consider purchasing a proper mason jar drinkware set. This will ensure that there’s no chance of the glass breaking which can also be a safety risk.