Sugar to finished cider in fridge

[mdlp]

I made a still cider, and shortly after bottling I put the bottles in the fridge for storage. It's drier than I'd like it to be, so if I pour some sugar in them and then put them back in the fridge, is there any explosion risk while it is still in the fridge? If I take the bottles out of the fridge at some point, how long can I leave them unrefrigerated before there is a risk of explosion? Lastly, I did the bottling about a week ago, so if I were to open the bottles to pour the sugar in, will that compromise the freshness/make them go bad? Not sure how much it matters, but they're 32oz flip top bottles.

 

[lumpher]

Even in the refrigerator it will continue to ferment, just very slowly, so yes, it can explode. If you take them out and they still have residual sugar, it depends on how much, and the bottle strength. If they build up enough pressure (can take just a few days), they will explode. They will be what we call "bottle bombs". Plenty of people reopen bottles to make changes, then recap them. Just be VERY careful with adding sugar to bottles if you haven't stabilized the cider with potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate, which is yet another topic of discussion.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Not sure how much it matters, but they're 32oz flip top bottles.

That might matter. Flip tops reportedly leak when they hit a certain PSI.

Also, be aware that even if they don't explode they will build carbonation and lose sweetness in an inverse relationship. As time goes on, they will be more fizzy and less sweet.

 

[Rish]

Definitely potential for bottle bombs. Safer solution would be to make a simple syrup and add to your glass when pouring. Good luck!

 

[slomo]

Definitely potential for bottle bombs. Safer solution would be to make a simple syrup and add to your glass when pouring. Good luck!

I agree with Rish. Adding a simple syrup at serving would be much easier. Plus it would be a cool experiment to see how much simple syrup would be needed to get the cider to a finishing point. You could also do a fruit puree that might pair well with the cider. Just a thought.