If you’re wondering how long does opened cider last in fridge or how long does unopened cider last in fridge, here’s a simple answer: Generally, unopened pasteurized apple cider can last 7-10 days in the fridge, sometimes longer. Opened pasteurized apple cider is best used within 3-5 days. Unopened hard cider can last for months or even a year in the fridge, while opened hard cider usually stays good for a few days, often retaining its best quality within 1-3 days after opening, though it might be safe for longer. Yes, cider can definitely go bad. Knowing the signs of spoiled cider helps you know when to throw it away.
Cider is a tasty drink. People enjoy both non-alcoholic apple cider and alcoholic hard cider. Keeping cider in the fridge is a good idea. It helps it stay fresh longer. The cool air slows down changes that make cider go bad. But cider doesn’t last forever, even when cold. Its shelf life depends on many things.
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Grasping the Lifespan of Cider
How long cider lasts really changes. It depends on what kind of cider it is. It also depends on if you’ve opened it yet. And it depends on how you store it. Storing it the right way in the fridge makes it last as long as possible safely.
Here are big things that affect how long your cider keeps:
- Is it pasteurized? Pasteurization heats the cider. This kills germs and yeasts that can make it go bad fast. Pasteurized cider lasts much longer than fresh, unpasteurized cider.
- Is it apple cider or hard cider? Apple cider has sugar. Hard cider has alcohol. Alcohol helps keep hard cider from going bad. Apple cider without alcohol needs to be kept very cold.
- Is it opened or unopened? Once you open cider, air gets in. Air has tiny living things. These things can spoil the cider. Opening also lets some parts of the cider, like bubbles in hard cider, escape.
- How was it stored before the fridge? If cider sat out in the heat, it might go bad faster, even after you put it in the fridge.
- How cold is your fridge? A fridge that is cold enough (below 40°F or 4°C) keeps cider better.
How Long Does Unopened Cider Last In Fridge?
Let’s look at cider you haven’t opened yet.
Unopened Apple Cider Shelf Life
Most apple cider you buy in stores is pasteurized. This means it was heated to kill germs.
- Pasteurized Apple Cider: An unopened bottle or carton of pasteurized apple cider will usually have a “best by” date. This date is about quality, not safety. The cider is likely safe to drink for 7-10 days after this date if kept cold in the fridge. Some might even be okay for a few weeks past the date if the seal is perfect and the fridge is cold. For the best taste, try to drink it by the date on the package.
- Unpasteurized Apple Cider: This cider is fresh. It has not been heated. It might have good live yeasts or bacteria. These can keep working, even in the fridge. Unpasteurized cider goes bad much faster. It usually lasts only about 5-7 days in the fridge, even when unopened. You must keep it cold all the time.
Unopened Hard Cider Shelf Life
Hard cider contains alcohol. Alcohol helps preserve drinks.
- Most Hard Cider: Unopened hard cider bottles or cans last a long time in the fridge. They often have a “best by” or “enjoy by” date. This date is usually many months away, sometimes a year or more from when you buy it. The cider is likely safe to drink long after this date. It might lose some fizz or taste change a little, but it’s usually safe for many months past the printed date if kept cold and unopened.
- Specialty or Craft Hard Cider: Some craft hard ciders might be less filtered or have more live parts. These might have a slightly shorter peak quality time, but still last for months unopened in the fridge.
Keeping unopened cider in the fridge from the start is the best way to make it last its longest possible life.
How Long Does Opened Cider Last In Fridge?
Once you break the seal on cider, things change quickly. Air and germs get in. Any fizz starts to disappear.
Opened Apple Cider Shelf Life
Apple cider needs to be kept cold once opened.
- Pasteurized Apple Cider: After opening pasteurized apple cider, it should be kept tightly closed in the fridge. It is best to drink it within 3-5 days for the best taste and safety. After 5-7 days, it might still be safe, but the quality drops. It could start to ferment slightly (get bubbly or a little alcoholic) or develop off flavors.
- Unpasteurized Apple Cider: Opened unpasteurized cider goes bad very fast. Because it has active microbes, opening it lets in more air and speeds things up. It should be drunk within 1-2 days after opening, kept cold the whole time. It can turn vinegary or alcoholic very quickly.
Opened Hard Cider Shelf Life
Hard cider loses its fizz and can change flavor once opened.
- Most Hard Cider: When you open a bottle or can of hard cider, the carbonation (bubbles) starts to leave. The flavors can also change as air touches the liquid. While it might be safe to drink for several days (sometimes up to a week) if kept cold and covered, the best quality is usually within 1-3 days. It will go flat and the taste might become dull or slightly off. It’s less about safety and more about enjoying the drink as it was meant to be.
- Still Hard Cider: Some hard ciders have no bubbles. These might last a little longer after opening without the issue of going flat. But they can still develop off flavors from air within a few days. Aim for within 3-5 days for best quality.
Does Cider Go Bad? Yes, It Does
Cider is a food product. Like other food, it does not last forever. It can and will go bad eventually. This is true for both apple cider and hard cider. When cider goes bad, it might not make you super sick, but it will taste very bad and might upset your stomach.
Things that make cider go bad include:
- Microbes: Bacteria, yeasts, and molds that were not killed (in unpasteurized cider) or that got in after opening can grow.
- Oxidation: Air getting into the cider after opening changes the chemicals in it. This affects the taste and smell.
- Fermentation: Sugars in apple cider can turn into alcohol and bubbles if wild yeasts get in. This changes it from apple cider to something more like hard cider or even vinegar.
- Loss of Carbonation: In hard cider, losing the bubbles makes it flat and less enjoyable.
Knowing the signs that your cider has spoiled is important.
Signs of Spoiled Cider
How to tell if cider is bad? Look, smell, and taste are your main tools. Don’t just trust the date on the package. Always check the cider itself.
Here are the key signs of spoiled cider:
- Bad Smell: This is often the first sign. Good apple cider smells like fresh apples. Good hard cider smells like fermented apples, maybe with some yeast or fruity notes. Spoiled cider can smell like:
- Vinegar (sour, sharp smell) – This happens when alcohol or sugar turns into acetic acid.
- Mold or musty smells – If mold has grown, especially in opened containers.
- Strange chemical or ‘off’ smells – Hard to describe, but definitely not pleasant.
- Rotten fruit smell – A sign of bacterial spoilage.
- Appearance Changes: Look at the cider closely.
- Cloudiness: While some ciders are naturally cloudy, new cloudiness or strange floating bits can be a bad sign.
- Mold Growth: You might see fuzzy or slimy patches on top or floating inside. This is a clear sign of spoilage.
- Color Change: Cider might become darker or change color in an unusual way.
- Bubbles in Apple Cider: If your non-alcoholic apple cider suddenly has bubbles, it’s starting to ferment. While not necessarily unsafe right away (it’s becoming alcoholic), it’s no longer apple cider and its quality is changing rapidly.
- Taste is Off: If it looks and smells okay, take a tiny sip.
- Sour or Vinegary Taste: A strong sour taste is a sign it has turned to vinegar.
- Fizzy Taste (in apple cider): Like the bubbles, this shows fermentation is happening.
- Unpleasant Flavors: Any taste that is harsh, bitter, moldy, or just plain wrong means the cider is spoiled.
If you see mold, smell something bad, or taste something off, it’s best to throw the cider away. It’s not worth the risk or the bad taste.
Shelf Life of Cider in Fridge: A Quick Look
Here’s a simple table to help remember how long cider lasts in the fridge. Remember, these are estimates. Always check the cider itself.
| Type of Cider | Condition | Estimated Fridge Shelf Life | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasteurized Apple | Unopened | 7-10 days past “best by” | Quality best before date. |
| Pasteurized Apple | Opened | 3-5 days | Best quality, safe for a few days more. |
| Unpasteurized Apple | Unopened | 5-7 days | Must stay cold. Can ferment. |
| Unpasteurized Apple | Opened | 1-2 days | Spoils very quickly. |
| Most Hard Cider | Unopened | Months to 1 year past date | Quality declines over time. Still safe. |
| Most Hard Cider | Opened | 1-3 days (for quality) | Might be safe longer, but goes flat/off. |
This table shows the typical shelf life of cider in fridge conditions. Proper storage is key to getting the longest life.
How to Store Cider in Fridge
Storing cider the right way in the fridge is simple but important. The goal is to keep it cold and limit its contact with air, especially after opening.
How to Store Hard Cider in Fridge
Hard cider usually comes in bottles or cans. These are designed to keep the cider fresh until opened.
- Unopened Hard Cider: Just place the bottles or cans in the fridge. Laying them on their side is fine if that saves space. Keeping them upright is also fine. The important thing is that they stay consistently cold. Don’t let them freeze, as this can cause the bottles or cans to break. Don’t let them get warm and then cold again often, as this can affect quality.
- Opened Hard Cider: This is where storage really matters for quality and safety (though spoilage is less common than with apple cider).
- Seal it well: If it’s a bottle with a cap, use a bottle stopper that seals tightly. If it’s a screw-top bottle, screw the cap back on very tightly. For cans, you can use a can cover, but cans don’t seal as well once opened.
- Keep it cold: Put the opened hard cider back in the fridge right away. The colder it is, the slower it will lose carbonation and change flavor.
- Use quickly: As mentioned, opened hard cider is best enjoyed within a day or two for its intended taste and fizz.
How to Store Apple Cider in Fridge
Apple cider, especially unpasteurized, needs careful cold storage.
- Unopened Apple Cider: Store unopened apple cider in the main part of your fridge where it stays coldest. The door is often warmer and temperatures go up and down more there. Keep cartons upright. Bottles can be upright or on their side. Make sure the seal is not broken.
- Opened Apple Cider: This needs to be sealed tightly and kept very cold.
- Use the right container: If it came in a bottle or carton with a lid, close it very tightly. Squeeze excess air out of cartons if possible before closing. If you can’t seal the original container well, pour the remaining cider into a clean glass bottle or pitcher with a tight-fitting lid or cap.
- Fill the container: If you transfer it to a new container, try to use one that is close to the amount of cider you have left. Less air space in the container means less oxygen can mess with the cider.
- Keep it cold: Put it back in the fridge right after pouring. Keep it in a cold spot.
- Handle with care: Avoid leaving the opened carton or bottle out on the counter at room temperature. Warmth speeds up spoilage.
Best Way to Store Cider Once Opened
The best way to store cider once opened is:
- Seal it tightly: Use the original cap or a good stopper. If needed, move the cider to a smaller, clean container with a tight lid.
- Remove air: If possible, use a container that minimizes the air space above the liquid. For hard cider, sometimes vacuum stoppers used for wine can help keep bubbles in a little longer, but they are not perfect.
- Keep it cold: Always store opened cider in the coldest part of your fridge.
- Use quickly: Plan to drink the rest within a few days (3-5 for apple cider, 1-3 for hard cider quality).
Following these steps will help keep your opened cider as fresh and safe as possible for its shortened lifespan.
Interpreting “Best By” Dates
Most ciders have a “best by,” “best if used by,” or “enjoy by” date. It’s important to know what this date means.
This date is put there by the maker. It tells you how long the product is expected to be at its very best quality. It’s about taste, smell, and freshness, not usually about safety.
- Before the Date: The cider should taste and look just as the maker planned.
- After the Date: The cider might start to change. It might lose some flavor, the color might change a little, or hard cider might lose some fizz. But it is often still safe to drink, especially if it’s been stored properly (like in the fridge the whole time).
Think of it like a guide for taste. Safety is usually related to whether the cider has actually spoiled, which you check by looking, smelling, and tasting, not just by the date on the package.
Unpasteurized apple cider dates are often more about safety and rapid fermentation, so pay closer attention to those shorter windows. For pasteurized apple cider and hard cider, the dates are more flexible safety-wise, but important for peak enjoyment.
How Long is Cider Good For After Opening?
To repeat and make this super clear:
- Opened Pasteurized Apple Cider: Good for about 3-5 days for best quality and safety. Can sometimes last up to 7 days if sealed well and kept very cold, but flavor will change.
- Opened Unpasteurized Apple Cider: Good for only about 1-2 days. It will ferment or spoil quickly.
- Opened Hard Cider: Good for about 1-3 days for best quality (fizz and flavor). It will likely be safe for up to a week if sealed and cold, but it will be flat and taste different.
How to Tell If Cider is Bad: A Summary
We talked about signs earlier. Here’s a simple checklist for how to tell if cider is bad:
- Check the Smell: Does it smell like vinegar, mold, or something else weird and bad? If yes, it’s likely bad.
- Look at It: Do you see mold? Are there strange floaty things? Has the color changed a lot (unless it’s supposed to age and darken)? If it’s apple cider, are there unexpected bubbles? If yes to any of these, it might be bad.
- Take a Small Sip: Does it taste super sour (like vinegar), fizzy when it shouldn’t be (apple cider), bitter, or just plain wrong? If yes, it’s bad.
If you are unsure, it’s safer to just throw it out. The cost of a new bottle is small compared to feeling sick.
Extending Cider Shelf Life
While you can’t make cider last forever, you can help it stay good for as long as possible.
- Keep it Cold: This is the most important rule. Cider belongs in the fridge, from the moment you buy it if possible, until you drink it. Keep your fridge below 40°F (4°C).
- Store Unopened Properly: Keep unopened cider in a cool, dark place if not in the fridge (like a cellar), but the fridge is best for pasteurized apple cider and often for hard cider quality. Don’t let it sit in warm places or sunlight.
- Store Opened Properly: Always seal opened containers tightly. Use airtight lids or stoppers. For apple cider, less air space in the container is better.
- Handle Gently: Don’t shake cider bottles or cans more than needed, especially hard cider. This can affect carbonation and quality.
- Check Dates (but don’t rely only on them): Use the “best by” date as a guide for quality, but use your senses (sight, smell, taste) to check for spoilage, especially after the date or after opening.
- Buy Sizes You Will Drink: If you know you only drink a small amount, buy smaller bottles or cans. This way, you open less at one time and have less leftover to store.
Grasping the Differences: Apple vs. Hard Cider Storage
It helps to remember the main difference in storage needs comes down to alcohol and pasteurization.
- Apple Cider (Non-alcoholic): This is like juice. It has sugars that can easily ferment or grow bacteria. Pasteurization helps a lot, but it still needs constant cold and careful sealing once opened. Unpasteurized is very fragile.
- Hard Cider (Alcoholic): The alcohol acts as a preservative. This makes it much more stable unopened, even outside the fridge (though refrigeration is best for quality). Once opened, the main issue is losing the bubbles and changing flavor from air, not necessarily safety spoilage right away, unless other things get into it.
So, how long does apple cider last in fridge is a bit different than how long does hard cider last in fridge, especially once they are opened. Apple cider is more about preventing microbial growth and fermentation, while hard cider is more about preserving its taste and carbonation.
Factors That Affect Cider Shelf Life
Let’s look a bit more at the things we mentioned earlier that change how long cider stays good.
Pasteurization Process
- Heated (Pasteurized): This kills most yeast, bacteria, and mold. The cider is stable. It lasts longer. It will eventually spoil from things getting in after opening, or just chemical changes over a very long time.
- Not Heated (Unpasteurized/Fresh): This cider has natural microbes. These microbes are still active. They can continue to ferment the sugar (making alcohol and fizz) or make the cider turn sour (vinegar). This cider must stay cold always. It has a short life.
Type of Cider (Apple vs. Hard)
- Apple Cider: High sugar, no alcohol. Needs cold to slow down natural processes and stop bad germs from growing.
- Hard Cider: Has alcohol. Alcohol stops many bad germs from growing. The fermentation is mostly done. It is more stable than apple cider. Its main enemy after opening is air changing its taste and fizz.
Packaging (Bottle, Can, Jug)
- Sealed Containers: Bottles and cans with tight seals keep air out very well until opened. Cartons are also sealed but sometimes less robustly than glass or metal.
- Growlers (for Hard Cider): These are large refillable bottles. Hard cider from a tap and put in a growler usually has a much shorter life and loses fizz faster, even unopened in the fridge (often just 1-3 days). This is because they are not filled and sealed like commercial bottles/cans.
Storage Temperature
- Cold Fridge (under 40°F/4°C): This is the best place for almost all cider, especially opened. It slows down microbes and chemical changes.
- Room Temperature: Unopened pasteurized hard cider is okay at room temp for a while, but fridge is better for quality. Unopened pasteurized apple cider needs the fridge. Unpasteurized cider needs the fridge always. Opened cider of any kind spoils much faster at room temp.
- Freezing: Don’t freeze cider. The liquid expands and can break the container. Freezing can also change the taste and texture badly.
Exposure to Light and Air
- Light: Direct sunlight or bright light can affect the taste of cider over time. Storing in a dark place or in dark bottles helps.
- Air (Oxygen): Once opened, oxygen hits the cider. This causes oxidation. It changes the flavor, often making it taste stale or papery. Sealing tightly reduces air contact.
Knowing these things helps you understand why cider lasts as long as it does and why storage is so important.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some common questions people ask about how long cider lasts.
h4 Is cloudy apple cider bad?
Not always. Many types of apple cider, especially fresh or traditional ones, are naturally cloudy because they still have apple solids in them. New cloudiness that appears suddenly, or strange clumps, might be a sign it’s going bad, especially if it also smells or tastes bad.
h4 Can old hard cider make you sick?
Usually not, if it was stored properly and hasn’t been opened long. The alcohol helps keep harmful bacteria from growing. Old hard cider will mostly just taste bad, flat, or vinegary. If it shows clear signs of mold or a really foul smell, it’s best not to risk it.
h4 What happens if you drink slightly spoiled apple cider?
Drinking slightly spoiled apple cider might give you a sour taste or upset your stomach a little. If it has just started to ferment, it might be a little fizzy. If it has mold or bad bacteria, it could potentially make you sick, although the sourness often makes you stop drinking it before you have too much.
h4 How long does homemade apple cider last in the fridge?
Homemade apple cider is usually unpasteurized. It will behave like store-bought unpasteurized cider. It typically lasts only 5-7 days unopened in the fridge and just 1-2 days after opening. It can start fermenting into hard cider or turn to vinegar quickly.
h4 Can I freeze cider to make it last longer?
It’s not a good idea. Freezing expands the liquid and can break the container. It also harms the taste and texture of the cider when it thaws. The fridge is the best place for storage.
Knowing how long does cider last in the fridge safely helps you enjoy your drinks and avoid waste. Always store it cold, seal it well once opened, and use your senses to check if it’s still good.