Uh oh... Don't have time to pasteurize

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bfinleyui

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I bottled a batch of cider on Friday the 18th. It started at 1.080, I let it ferment down to 1.020, then bottled. It's been in a 70 degree closet since then. The plastic bottle I put in there as a somewhat-indicator is starting to get hard. It still has some give to it, but it's definitely pretty stiff.

I put one in the fridge for 4 or 5 hours last night and tried it, and there was very little carbonation in the cider itself, obviously not ready.

Here's the problem. Friday morning, I leave on a trip for 4 days, not to return until very late Monday morning. I plan on putting another in the fridge tomorrow morning to try tomorrow night, but assuming it's not carbed, what are my options?

The two I see see:

1. Leave it and take the chance of bottle bombs or gushers. This is scary, cause a linen closet filled with four-day old glass and sugary alcohol juice would be awful.

2. Find room in the fridge and put the yeast to sleep while I'm gone. If I go this route, will they wake up OK when I get back and bring them back to room temperature?

Primary took longer than I thought, about 11 days. i was expecting 7 days based on what I'd read, which was dumb. So I figured "hey, I've got a week and a half to get it to carb before I leave!". Yeah, that didn't work out. Suggestions?
 
If you start RIGHT NOW, you could have them all emptied before you leave!

Honestly, my opinion would be to put them in the fridge. It might take some time to wake them back up when you get home, but they will come back to life, theres a ton of sugar in there. I wouldn't want to take a chance on busted bottles.
 
I like your attitude. Although instead of the 'never say die' vibe, I get more of a 'definitely would die' feeling, trying to drink 45 bottles of 8+% Cider wouldn't bode so well for me. Or the prospects of going to work in a conscious state tomorrow.
 
I'll make this easy. Pickled Pepper and I will come over since 3 goes into 45 evenly. Well what if you got as many as you can in the fridge and if you have a cooler, you could put the rest in there at least as a barrier in case any of them do burst. Not sure what climate or living situation you have but outside, or in a garage if it's really cold and in a cooler.
If it makes you feel better, I never pasteurize or stabilize with chems and sometimes wait a couple weeks for carb. I do rack around 1.02 and cold crash and then bottle so there is minimal yeast in the bottles. But the catch is that my bottles always stay cool. Never had a bomb or even a gusher. Keep us posted!
 
If you want to play it extra safe and you do have a cooler, you could even throw some ice in there and it'll buy you even more "safe" time. Just trying to help a bro/sis out!
 
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