Proper Storage of Apfelwein

I have 5 gallons which are 3 days into the ferment and I'm thinking of starting another 6 gallons - juice is $2 a gallon on sale right now.

My question is what to do with it after it stops fermenting. Is there any reason why it can't be bottled back into the same 1/2 gallon plastic jugs that it came out of originally? Since I'm not planning on carbonating I figured I could treat the jug of cider kinda like a bottle of wine - just leave it in the refrigerator for a few days as we drink it up.

Edit: Just another thought - what about oxidation through the plastic? Is that only a problem with beer?

 

Did you juice come in PET bottles? here is some information on PET bottles;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate

I would think PET bottles would be fine although I havn't used them myself. I know down at LHBS store they sell glass bottles as well as PET bottles. I thought of storing in the plastic bottles my juice came in, but in the end I just bought the glass and gear and have never regreted it. I have also talked to a friend who drinks lots of beer and he now saves his glass for me so that saves me $15 for a case. Perhaps you have some friends that can help you out in that dept.

good luck!

 

I've found that apfelwein, even after it's long since finished fermentation, has a tendency to fizz a bit when bottled. I bottled some in 2 liter soda bottles, and they swelled up noticably. Not enough to burst or anything, but they didn't stand upright anymore. With a juice bottle, which probably isn't designed to handle carbonation, you might pop a top, or you might be safe. Maybe try with one small bottle and see how it goes.

Personally, I just bottle it in bombers now or standard 12 oz beer bottles, but every batch gets a few recycled soda bottles that I just prop upright in the fridge door.

 

Since your NOT carbonating. I would go buy some glass growlers like I did. Same idea as wine bottles, just screw on lids. My apfelwein skept well in the fridge for a few weeks while we drank it. For long term storage, I would look at getting some grolsch (flip top) bottles and bottling it off. I think wine's have some sort of thing added to them to make them keep longer. I heard something about sulfites?