How much alcohol to preserve without refrigeration?

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Gilligan

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I don't have much extra room in my small refrigerator, so I was wondering - what is the minimum amount of alcohol content my cider should have to safely store it in 1-gallon sanitized glass jugs without refrigeration or re-pasteurization after brewing?

Also - how long can I store it before it starts to taste icky?
 
You talking open top or something? I have capped meads and ciders that are years old just getting better but they are all capped.
 
Alcohol actually isn't a perservitive until it hits around 20%. Its the Ph and other factors that inhibit bacterial growth. They should be good for a year at leather. Longer depends on the quality of caps that you used.
 
Potassium metabisulfite could be added as an anti-oxidant for extending the shelf life of ciders or wine. there are a ton of threads on the use of this chem for stabilizing and storing cider/wine. used properly it won't effect the taste of the final product.
 
Using flip-top bottles and at over 20% abv, would it be safe to store unrefrigerated without pastuerizing?
 
Using flip-top bottles and at over 20% abv, would it be safe to store unrefrigerated without pastuerizing?

Sure, if it was finished. I'd be shocked if you got above 20% (or even above 18%) without boosting it with a distilled spirit like everclear, though.

Still, anything above 12% would be fine to age for a while, but if it has been exposed to oxygen during bottling, oxidation would still be an issue if no antioxidants (sulfites) have been used.
 
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