In canning jars.

I got some off the shelf that's been there a year or two and found the seal had about 1/4 inch+ hole in it and rusted. Im assuming the acid in the vinegar was to much for them. Had to throw 3 jars out.

I typically put it in empty wine bottles but didn't have any last time I made pepper sauce. I didn't realize we were out before I started making it and my wife brought me some canning jars to have something to put it in. I put them up and out of sight/mind. Last week i decided it would be nice ones breakfast and went to get them finding the compromised lids.

Was it touching the lids? And you eat that? LOL

I would think that there's an issue with the lids, noting that pickles are canned in straight vinegar and don't experience similar issues.

Regardless, I used to make a few gallons of hot sauce each year and I typically stored mine in sterilized glass "woozy" bottles which were only pasteurized in a boiling water bath before capping. Since the hot sauce was boiled before jarring and very acidic this was more than sufficient from a food safety perspective in my opinion.

I'll have to look and see if I have any old mason jarred hot sauce, I can open it up and see if the same issue is present.

No it was not touching the lids and clearly it is stated i through the 3 jars out upon finding the compromised lids.

Not being a wise guy but I’ve seen skunk essence eat the lids with no contact in fact the jar was half full but the lid was not coated well so that is some powerful vapors to do that. My buddy had the lids eaten off his bottles by just putting them is moist dirt so it might be a humidity thing possibly I’ve never had that with dry storing them. I don’t know if this helps just things I’ve seen happen.

It touched the lid when you moved it to put it away
Or there was a tiny bit on the top of the jar that you didn't see before you put the lid on
Ask me how I know

Acidic stuff and shortages showed me the
off brand seals are not as good.

I hope to try fermenting peppers
next season.

I wonder what happened? I've got some pepper sauce canned in regular jars with regular lids that have been kicking around at least 3-4 years and they're still fine....

I put pepper sauce on things after lot for a few years and got burnt out on it. Had a lot of peppers a few years ago so figured I would make some as a way to use them up. I have more than enough dried and freezers were packed full so pepper sauce would stay good a long time so I made some. I was still burnt out on it so it sat on the shelf a few years gradually ending up in the back covers with dust. I thought man some of our pepper sauce would be good on this food last week and remembered I may have some on. The back of the shelf. Ya never seen that before. Tossed it though it may save someone else the hassle.

I will make more this summer but it will go in old wine bottles this time. May break the low carb now and then to empty them.

Five bucks says a bad batch of lids. Been putting up pepper sauce and other vinegar based pickles all my life in canning jars without an issue. But I only use name brand quality lids and rings. Good lids will have a thin plastic liner.

I make vinegar based hot sauces and store it in the empty vinegar jugs. Just fill the tabletop decanters as needed.

Could be. Wife did pick up some clearly broken down from bulk purchase seals from the Amish shop during covid and I think thy may have been off brand and she didn't realize that tell after the fact when she opened them. I thought they all got tossed out but may have had some that didn't.