CIDER FERMENTATION

[MOLEMAN]

I obtained 32 litres of pressed and filtered apple juice from a farm using my own apple mix, which I then poured into my sterilised demijohn. I got the temp to about 20C, took out some juice and mixed it with my cider yeast and pitched it. Despite maintaining this temp and the juice was well aerated by pouring, the fermentation is barely happening. The gravity reading was 1.050. The yeast is sitting in a ring around the top not doing much. The yeast was recently bought. Previously, when I have done the same thing by now it would bubbling like a pot on the stove. I was wondering if the filtering would have caused this. Any advice welcome how to fix this. Thanks.

[sbond10]

Have you taken another hydrometer reading ? Some yeasts behave differently

[MOLEMAN]

Not yet, but it is the same yeast as in the past.

[oldbloke]

Give it some nutrient, apple juice doesn't have much

[orlando]

Did the people who processed it "helpfully" put anything in it to kill bacteria. Something like a campden tablet needs to be left for a few days before pitching the yeast as it has the same affect.

[MOLEMAN]

No they just pressed it. I added campden tablets to the 32L demijohn and waited a day before pitching. I have one 5L demijohn to which I added nothing but yeast, so its is a control really. The smaller one has now started to get going, but I have never had such a slow start before. The yeast is slowly filling the gap between juice and bung in the larger one, but after two days no bubbles. Do larger vessels take longer than small ones to get going? I have used only smaller ones before. Thanks for the suggestions.

[djbadger]

Maybe the campden tablet was still having an effect? I'm not sure how long they take to dissipate.

I pressed about 25l this year and although it tasted really sweet, the acidity was low less than pH4. I have read that low acidity means there is less need for campden tablets so I didn't use any and although it wasn't a violent ferment, it was pretty quick to get going and has been bubbling strongly for a week or two. I started at about 1050 too was down to around 1004 last week. Have addedd a couple of jars of honey so I'm expecting somethgin fairly pokey in the end.

Good luck with it. Perhaps a new packet of yeast would be a good precaution?

[jmc]

No they just pressed it. I added campden tablets to the 32L demijohn and waited a day before pitching. I have one 5L demijohn to which I added nothing but yeast, so its is a control really. The smaller one has now started to get going, but I have never had such a slow start before. The yeast is slowly filling the gap between juice and bung in the larger one, but after two days no bubbles. Do larger vessels take longer than small ones to get going? I have used only smaller ones before. Thanks for the suggestions.

How many campden tables did you add?

Do you mean no bubbles seen in the cider or no bubbles in your airlock?
If none in airlock could seal be poor?

[MOLEMAN]

I added one per 5L. I put a tube into a bowl of water on the large demijohn and the seal is good. No bubbles in the water yet. The small one is now going well, but it has taken 2 days to get going. Is that normal?

[jmc]

I added one per 5L. I put a tube into a bowl of water on the large demijohn and the seal is good. No bubbles in the water yet. The small one is now going well, but it has taken 2 days to get going. Is that normal?

1 tablet per 5L (6.5 tablets for your 32L) is not a high dose according to Andrew Lea
THE SCIENCE OF CIDERMAKING - Part 3 - Juicing and Fermenting

2 days to get going is not that slow.
Some of my batches took longer this year.

If you are seeing yeast activity in large demijohn I wouldn't worry.
Add some nutrient if you want but it will probably be fine.

[MOLEMAN]

Thanks to all for the advice. I will be more patient!