Accidental cider?

[bauglir]

Howdy all,

I had some fruit salad in a ziplock bag that got lost in the back of my fridge for a month. When I found it the bag was completely swelled up, and upon opening it I noticed that the fruit didn't look mushy and did not smell at all rotten, but rather like a sweet cider. I decided not to compost it but to put it back in the fridge and do some research on it (admittedly a bit later since the initial part happened two weeks ago). The next day the bag was again bloated. It seems clear that the container they are in is airtight since the bag hasn't burst, and it's been refrigerated the whole time, so I'm wondering if anyone knows if there's any way I could turn this into cider or something, and if so how, or if it's too much of a gamble and I should just compost it.

Thanks!

 

[mredge73]

About all you can make with that is prison hooch.
If you are determined, take it out of the fridge and put it in a dark cool place 65-70F
Let it sit for a week and check it.
If it smells like death you got bacteria or mold; throw it away.
If it smells like booze, you can squeeze the juice out and pretend you are in prison.

 

[Electrake]

Ooorrrrrr, you could drink it because you enjoy the taste

 

[Magnus314]

Add it to a cheap gallon of store bought juice that you shake up first to add a little oxygen. Crack the cap open just a little so CO2 can escape.

If the resulting cider is good, you'll have your own homegrown yeast that no one else can duplicate, and a lot of it. If it's bad you're only out a gallon of juice.

 

[bauglir]

You don't think it would be potentially hazardous? I've made wild yeast mead a couple of times in the past and it turned out very well, but I've never dealt with anything quite like this. My guess is that the swelling of the bag is from the CO2 but I'm wondering if there's a chance it could be botulism?

I have a one-gallon glass container and an airlock for it, so if I proceeded with Magnus314's idea I'm guessing that would be the best way to go about it?

 

[TwistedGray]

You don't think it would be potentially hazardous? I've made wild yeast mead a couple of times in the past and it turned out very well, but I've never dealt with anything quite like this. My guess is that the swelling of the bag is from the CO2 but I'm wondering if there's a chance it could be botulism?

I have a one-gallon glass container and an airlock for it, so if I proceeded with Magnus314's idea I'm guessing that would be the best way to go about it?

I would say given that you let the co2 out and it came back quickly it's likely from co2...just a guess. Toss it in a fermenter, airlock it, and see what happens...it should be obvious is there is co2 at work there except you clearly have a lot of o2 space to get rid of.

I've opened apple juice, left it in the back of the car, drove for months, opened it, and had a field day without any issues.

I'd gamble on it being alcoholic.

 

[Magnus314]

Let me be straight and say I don't know anything about Botulism.

Pruno, yes... Botulism, no

But I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting botulism from fermenting fruit. Isn't there some kind of ph and protein requirement for botulism?

 

[mredge73]

If it is hazardous it will smell like death. Don't drink it if it smells like death.

 

[jmartie13]

Botulism grows best in low acid (less than 4.6), low oxygen environments. Straight apple juice varies in ph, but is usually around 3-4. Most cases from food are from improperly canned vegetables and meats. The canning takes out the oxygen, and meats and veggies are not very acidic.

 

[Magnus314]

By "low acid" you mean higher pH, right? So generally speaking juice is safe?

 

[MarkKF]

I like the yeast starter idea!

 

[MindenMan]

Like the TV food dude says, "If it smells good, eat it", or something like that.