Grow a Pear in a Bottle

With this Pear in a Bottle on you're shelf/desk/window/table you will get asked questions all the time about how it got in there.
It's up to you to come up with a story about how you put it in there, but here I will show you how to grow one inside a bottle for your very own.

Step 1: Gather Your Parts

for this project, you will need:

an empty bottle (clear glass is best)
string, twine, rope of some sorts
a pear tree
time
alcohol of choice (no wine or beer, and mostly clear types work best)

Step 2: Pick Your Pears

Don't pick them, but find the branches that have the best pears on them.  You have to wait until the pears are a certain size so you can be sure that they will grow.

Step 3: Clean Leaves, Add Bottle

Once the pear(s) are of a good size, clean the leaves from around it, and pick off any other pears that are on the same branch.  You really only want one pear inside the bottle, and we will be sticking the branch into the bottle until it hits the bottom.  So any leaves, or pears, or other stuff on branch should be removed.

Make sure you support the bottle as best you can with the string, and tilt the opening down so that water won't pool up in it and make the pear rot.

Step 4: Pick the Pear, Clean the Bottle

Pick your pear bottle when the pear is ready.  That's a different time for everyone depending on the tree, the time of year, the location and all that.  My pears were ready to be picked in mid September. 
To pick it get some sheers, and cut the branch as you would if you were pruning it. 
Bring it inside, clean off the leaves, the dirt, and the stick.  Depending on the type of bottle you used, you may be able to stick something inside to cut the branch off of the pear.  Try whatever you can without bruising the pear.

Now we're gonna use very hot water to clean out the bottle.  Not boiling water, just very hot.  Wash out the bottle a couple times.  Fill it completely gently shake it, empty it, repeat.
Do this until the pear looks as clean as you can get it.

Let it air dry for 20 minutes or so

Step 5: Fill the Bottle and Enjoy

After you've cleaned the pear as best you can, choose your spirit of choice and fill it.

For optimal results, choose a clear spirit, or a light one.  The easiest one to use is vodka, because it's tasteless you will be able to find the subtle pear taste easier.  But you can really put anything kind you want in there.
I'm making a gin bottle (I like gin), and probably a brandy one (we have alot of brandy) with this year's pears.

You can start making cocktails now, but it would be best to let it sit for a month or so before you open it.

Step 6: Final Notes and Tips

Don't worry about sterilizing the bottle before you put it on the tree, it's gonna be open to the elements for 4 months, it will not be sterile when you pick it.

As long as the the pear is completely covered with alcohol it will stay good.  When you start to drink it, if the liquid level drops so below the pear anywhere, you either have to finish the bottle, or throw it out.  Things will start to grow, and it will generally just not be healthy.

How do you get the pear out?
You don't.  You throw out the bottle when you're done.  You probably could refill it with more alcohol if you wanted, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Bottles are cheap, and you'll probably have another one by the time the year is through anyway.


We used vodka, and as time went by the color of the vodka and the pear changed.  As you can see below, the vodka is yellowish, and the pear is a dark red.  The pear was yellow green when it was picked.

Can you taste anything?
Somewhat.  You can definitely smell the pear on the vodka when you open the bottle or pour some.  Tasting it is another story.  We've had about half a dozen people try it, and it's pretty 50/50 on tasting it.  But this is a conversation piece more than anything.