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**BadgerBrigade** · 11-30-2012, 03:49 PM

Someone told me to warm up the juice a little bit before I put it in the carboy and pitch my yeast?
Is this a good idea?
Not hot, just warm......?

***Yooper*** · 11-30-2012, 04:10 PM

No. I mean, sure, take it out of the fridge. But it'll warm up just fine at room temperature. You want it above 55 or so when you add your yeast, because putting yeast into ice cold juice won't make them happy. But once it's above 55 degrees or so, it's fine.

**BadgerBrigade** · 12-03-2012, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yooper

No. I mean, sure, take it out of the fridge. But it'll warm up just fine at room temperature. You want it above 55 or so when you add your yeast, because putting yeast into ice cold juice won't make them happy. But once it's above 55 degrees or so, it's fine.

I think I may have pitched the with the juice a little cold....
How can I get them to start up again?
I put a heating pad under the carboy but I have no activity yet....
I get maybe one bubble in the airlock every 15 or 20 seconds...

The first (& only) time I made cider I warmed the juice to what felt like 72°, used EC1118 and
BLAAAW! Like a bomb when off! Foam was blowing outta the airlock!
But now I have almost no action?

***Yooper*** · 12-03-2012, 11:39 PM

If the SG is dropping, it's fermenting. Some yeast strains are fast, some are slow. Look at the temperature range of the yeast strain you've used, and then just let it be. Most are great at 60-65 degrees, so a heat pad isn't required until the cider is fermenting outside.

**BadgerBrigade** · 12-12-2012, 04:16 AM

For those who are learning and read this thread later:
I also found out if you put your brew in a carboy warmed a little, when it cools down you will have suck back in the airlock due to pressure change..... better to pitch at a lower temp (not cold) and let your brew naturally warm up to its regular temp. That's the way to roll apparently

JtotheA · 12-12-2012, 05:58 AM

Overall it's better to keep the temp stable. Forget that heating pad unless you're roughing it like Yooper said. Sometimes a swirl or two of the carboy works to get things stirred up at an early phase but if it's been a couple days in the coolness and agitating it doesn't work, you could move it to a lil warmer place and when the yeast get going move it back to your original spot. Only had to do it twice, but it worked perfect.

MarkKF · 12-12-2012, 04:52 PM

What I do is get my cider ready, add nutrients, pectin enzyme, sugar and Camden then let it sit in the basement 24-36 hours. The cider will then stabilize at my basements temperature. Mean while I pitch my yeast in 1/4 - 1/2 gallon of just cider. I leave the yeast starter in my house and agitate the yeast starter every 4 - 8 hours. I add that to the rest of the cider after the 24 - 36 hours. Since I do my primary fermentation in Oct - Dec my basement usually in the 60's or maybe low 70's which seems perfect for champagne or cider yeast. It get cold down there in Feb.

MarkKF · 12-12-2012, 08:30 PM

Just started 10 more gal. today. The one on the left has strawberries in it.