Current update: now 4 days after Degasing. No air lock action & temp is in the 60s. Move bucket back on to heat plate set to 72 F. I'm surprised. I thought it would take off again after the yeast nutrients were added but no. I'll wait & watch.
Noob Cider Question
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Might be all over red rover
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I haven't taken a gravity read since nutrient addition. I'll give it a couple more days at 72 F & take a reading. Maybe all over red rover. (love that)
Oct 6 & no activity since degas & yeast nutrients on Oct 1st. Since sg at yeast nutrient addition was 1.032 & og was 1.052, fg is supposed to be 0.998, there is still plenty of undigested sugars left.
Lhbs recommendation was to try another dose of yeast, Lalvin 1118 suggested. Reconstituted per instructions & added to must. 24 hrs later & Temp is 72F. Aircheck is looking like it wants to blow bubbles but not what I was expecting.
Watch & wait, hope for the best.
Lhbs recommendation was to try another dose of yeast, Lalvin 1118 suggested. Reconstituted per instructions & added to must. 24 hrs later & Temp is 72F. Aircheck is looking like it wants to blow bubbles but not what I was expecting.
Watch & wait, hope for the best.
10/8 Whoo hooo. Finally fermentation I recognize. I'm using a 3 piece Airlock & the thimble was floating but no bubbles. This AM actual bubbles steady approx every 30 seconds.
So, now that fermentation is rolling, should I degas, add yeast nutrients again? I had done both before fermentation stopped. Can I roll on as is or should I at least add nutrients again?
So, now that fermentation is rolling, should I degas, add yeast nutrients again? I had done both before fermentation stopped. Can I roll on as is or should I at least add nutrients again?
One other observation, I have been using 5 gallon buckets from Firehouse subs. They are sold for $2.50 & they are much heavier than the light duty Brew Buckets, particularly the lids. These guys have a rubber gasket & the lids are much thicker with deeper grooves.
I mention this because when I was talking to the lhbs guys about no bubbles in the Airlock. One guy observed that the buckets they had did not seal positively enough around the rim & that the CO2 might be leaking out there rather than escaping through the Airlock.
I checked that the Firehouse buckets had grooves twice as deep as the others I had & have rubber gaskets. So, that wasn't the issue but I thought it might be of interest as no bubbles in Airlock might not be indicative of no fermentation. However, fermentation causes the bucket temp to rise.
Just an observation.
I mention this because when I was talking to the lhbs guys about no bubbles in the Airlock. One guy observed that the buckets they had did not seal positively enough around the rim & that the CO2 might be leaking out there rather than escaping through the Airlock.
I checked that the Firehouse buckets had grooves twice as deep as the others I had & have rubber gaskets. So, that wasn't the issue but I thought it might be of interest as no bubbles in Airlock might not be indicative of no fermentation. However, fermentation causes the bucket temp to rise.
Just an observation.
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The general cause of "no bubbles" is a fermentation vessel that doesn't seal. I don't worry about it too much: There's an outflow around the leak, positive pressure in the bucket during fermentation and once fermentation is done, bacteria can't crawl.
Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured. It just seemed like a good idea to pass along. I don't like using the buckets but the degas thing made it necessary. I'll look into one of the butterfly folding ones & return to plastic carboys.
Hoping the Cider currently restarting turns out.
Any ideas on reappling the yeast nutrients? Fermentation had stopped very soon after I added them. Do you suppose that they are they still available?
Final FG is supposed to be 0.998. The last SG I got was when the degas & yeast nutrients were added, 1.032, as no activity after that I figured no change. Now that fermentation has restarted I'm not sure what it is now. Since it's in a bucket & requires pulling off the lid I'm trying to minimize potential contamination so I don't know what it is now, probably not much change yet.
Recipe called for degasing & adding yeast nutrients 24 to 36 hrs after pitching. As I've repitched with 1118 & I'm getting action I'm wondering if a 2nd dose of yeast nutrients is advisable or should I let it ride?
Recipe called for degasing & adding yeast nutrients 24 to 36 hrs after pitching. As I've repitched with 1118 & I'm getting action I'm wondering if a 2nd dose of yeast nutrients is advisable or should I let it ride?
Update 10/22. On 10/14 I added Yeast Nuetrients took SG, 1.027. Fermentation continued @ bubble every 2 min. Temp 72 F. Wait & watch.
10/20 activity has stopped. SG is 1.002. I figured that was All Done Son. Added Potassium Sorbate & Metabysulfite & agitated.
10/22 lees should have settled but can't prove that without pulling the lid off. I figure to give it 1 more day.
I will bottle the last of the Cream Ale to free up the Keg. I'll clean it & purge with CO2 before moving Cider & Back Sweetening. I realize I'm probably being impatient. All advice so far has been to leave those little Yeasties to do their job.
10/20 activity has stopped. SG is 1.002. I figured that was All Done Son. Added Potassium Sorbate & Metabysulfite & agitated.
10/22 lees should have settled but can't prove that without pulling the lid off. I figure to give it 1 more day.
I will bottle the last of the Cream Ale to free up the Keg. I'll clean it & purge with CO2 before moving Cider & Back Sweetening. I realize I'm probably being impatient. All advice so far has been to leave those little Yeasties to do their job.
Update continues: 10/27 moved to keg & added 2 12 oz frozen apple juice. After a couple of days a taste was quite puckersome. Added 2 more cans to the keg & agitated well. Still needs some more. Added 1 can & held a 2nd back.
All in all, patience is the word.
All in all, patience is the word.
Thanks for the reply. This was my 1st batch of cider. It was a total plunge into the unknown. This batch was a challenge from the start. Taste tests over a couple of weeks was beyond tart. Puckersome indeed. Enough to cause your tongue curl. 5 12 oz cans of frozen apple juice was barely enough. I'll no doubt add another.
Yeast was Lalvin 71-B. When it ground to a stop at 1.037 I switched to Lalvin 1118. SG ended up at 1.002. Recipe called for .998 before backsweetening.
I figure to add 1 additional can of frozen apple juice to the keg.
I figure to add 1 additional can of frozen apple juice to the keg.
The 1118 finished the job at 1.002 but the Cider was way to tart to drink. The recipe called for 2 cans of frozen apple juice in 5 gallons. Still to tart. I've been adding 1 12 oz can of frozen Apple Juice at time. I'm currently at 6 cans & just now getting drinkable. Color is a cloudy purple. Smells great.
Yep, when SG hit 1.002. Waited 4 days for settleing & moved to keg. Added 2 can frozen apple juice. Taste was way to tart. That started the 1 can, taste, add another can, taste again. Now at 6 cans & just getting drinkable.
