Stabilizing amaro for bulk storage

[damntall]

I've had a large batch of Amaro go cloudy recently... I keep it in a 7-gallon carboy for filling smaller branded bottles from as necessary. I assume it's the same process that makes sugar syrup go cloudy / streaky after a while.

I wondered: is there a generally accepted way of handling long term storage of homemade amari and/or a chemical stabilizer (like potassium sorbate or suflites) that can go into it to extend its shelf life / to keep bacteria from feeding on the sugars over time?

How should I be handling these large storage needs?

[Foreshot]

What's the ABV? Once you hit mid-high 20's nothing should be able to grow. I believe that's one of the reasons most liqueurs are required to be 30% or higher. Alcohol is a great stabilizer/preservative.   

[Silk City Distillers]

 

Just given the time of year, I have to wonder if it coincides with it getting colder, as opposed to bacterial action.  High oil content, lower proof, even a few degrees colder could cause the oils to separate if you are on the edge.  Heat a bottle up, give it a good shake, see if it clears.

 

 

 

[bconley]

On 12/19/2022 at 3:27 PM, Foreshot said:

What's the ABV? Once you hit mid-high 20's nothing should be able to grow. I believe that's one of the reasons most liqueurs are required to be 30% or higher. Alcohol is a great stabilizer/preservative.   

I haven’t heard of this requirement (the 30% part)…can you share where you found that?

[Foreshot]

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-27/section-5.150

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-27/section-5.151

[Jedd Haas]

5.150 refers to liqueurs specifically. It does not specify any minimum alcohol content. You can definitely find liqueurs with an ABV below 30%. For example, Aperol is 11% ABV.

5.151 refers to flavored spirits, which is a different category. Within the text it states:

"“Flavored spirits” are distilled spirits that are spirits conforming to one of the standards of identity set forth in §§ 5.142 through 5.148."

Not that the range given does not include 5.150.