Cider Longevity

[lucky#13]

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but couldn't find another forum.

I was recently doing some cleaning and came across a box of various commercially products ciders from across the US and Europe. The ciders are all bottled (ranging in size from 16 oz to 750mL) and are approximately 3-4.5 years old. From what I can recall bottles have been stored at room temperate and were never refrigerated.

Are these any good to drink?

 

[jseyfert3]

Open one and try it. It won’t harm you if that’s what you’re asking.

 

[dmtaylor]

Many will be good, but some won't. Still a good find, I know I would get some enjoyment out of that. Assume about 25% of them might have gone bad.

 

[McKnuckle]

A number of years ago, before I learned to brew beer, I made 5 gallons of cider, which is way more cider than I'm really interested in keeping around. I drank a couple each autumn/winter, but the bottles lived in my garage in a box. They stayed there in the heat, in the cold, cycling through the seasons every year and being totally ignored and neglected.

In fact recently, I cleaned out the garage and put the box temporarily out on the asphalt outside. Left it there a week or so. It got rained on.

On the plus side, I noticed that the cider is as clear as a glass window pane.

So before moving the bottles back to the garage, or dumping them, I figured what the hell. Opened one and poured it into a glass right there standing on the driveway. Man, was it good! Really good. Drank another one, too.

So yeah, they're back in my garage and being consumed here and there. Just go for it. I am guessing that my cider is 8-9 years old. Seriously.

 

[lucky#13]

1st Bottle Test

Eden Semi-Dry Cider 375mL bottle from November 2016. Retained carbonation and tasted normal.

 

[Pappers_]

1st Bottle Test

Eden Semi-Dry Cider 375mL bottle from November 2016. Retained carbonation and tasted normal.

I am not at all surprised that Eden cider would age well. One of my absolute favorites among commercial ciders. I've yet to have one of their ciders that I wouldn't buy again. During the pandemic, I've been occasionally ordering them by the box and having them shipped to Chicago from New England.