• Distilled Spirit Specialty

  Spoilage of Liqueurs

  Posted by calwisespirits on October 1, 2018 at 6:02 pm

  I’m getting into making liqueurs and wondering what alcohol content is needed to prevent spoilage. I know a liqueur made from extracts and sugar and bottled at 80 proof is going to be pretty much indefinitely shelf stable. But one of the products I want to make is a raspberry liqueur from fresh fruit that will have pulp and juice in it that I know can more easily oxidize or spoil. Can anyone point me in the direction of some references for determining the alcohol and sugar content needed to make a shelf stable liqueur? Are there any preservatives that anyone would recommend, e.g. citric acid or ascorbic acid?

  Thank you in advance. 

  npp replied 6 years, 2 months ago 4 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  iglomski

  Member

  October 11, 2018 at 8:37 pm

  I just have a comment or two, though your question is a tough one depending on what exactly you are asking.

  “Stable” can mean a lot of things. 

  If you just want your liqueur to be biologically stable, i.e. microbes will not grow in it, above 20% ABV/40 proof is pretty safe unless you get some pretty exotic microbes in there.

  One the other hand, if you mean stable, as in your liqueur will not change, that is a harder thing to achieve. I have found that very few natural ingredients maintain their color over time. The red from your raspberry is likely to brown over time. You can add preservatives to help slow the process, you’ll have to do research to find which one works for your colorant, but they will not completely stop all color changes with time. I liked this article on anthocyanins https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4337.12244

  If you also mean “stable” by not developing haze or solid precipitates, there are a bunch of ways to filter or fine your product, but they often strip out flavor and/or color.

  You production methods, like minimizing exposure to oxygen and light can make a big difference too.

  In short, from my point of view there isn’t a single easy answer to your question, that’s why people resort to much more stable artificial colors.

  Good luck!

   

• 

  ryankf

  Member

  July 8, 2019 at 6:39 pm

  Hi Calwise crew…any luck on this one? Same questions here.

• 

  npp

  Member

  July 15, 2019 at 2:44 pm

  Sodium/ Potassium Benzoate or Sodium/Potassium sorbate in combination with citric acid will help.

  But as iglomski mentioned, whole natural ingredients will spoil faster over time in any given condition you just have to find a window of time where your product still maintains your desired flavor profile.

   

  If you would rather consider natural or organic flavors in your formula (which will increase your shelf-life significantly) let’s talk.

   

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