Hard Cider not fermenting

My hard cider's OG was 1.0725. This was 3 weeks ago.
I just did a reading and it is only at 1.070. Not much has changed.

I used a red star champagne yeast, started to ferment for a couple days then settled out...still have airlock bubbles but I understand that doesn't mean anything...

Any suggestions? Or will this just take time for the SG to drop.

Thanks

Where's your temperature?

Did you add nutrient and did you oxygenate?

It started at 71 but it got pretty cold in my basement recently and it was at 68 for a while. After the last reading I brought it upstairs where it is between 71-73 now.

No Nutrient, and other than shaking the and stirring my carboy when the yeast when in, that would be the best as far as oxygenation...

Have you checked your hydrometer to make sure it reads about 1.00 in water? And when you say its still bubbling, how often. No airlock activity doesn't always mean no fermentation, but some airlock activity usually does mean fermentation.

Temps seem fine.

It sounds like the juice had some preservatives in it. What were the ingredients in the juice?

That must seems like it might be a bit on the high side for just shaking, but perhaps someone w/ more experience can comment. Also, did the must have preservatives? (Potassium Sorbate?)

I used pasturized fresh apple cider. Hydrometer reads 1.000 in water.

re-pitch? can't hurt

Ok..re-pitched back in early feb..not much change. Tried a yeast nutrient to "start" it back up about 2 weeks ago...
Did the cider on 1/7/10 OG was 1.0725. Current reading 1.057. Sitting at about 2.5%! Seems to be creeping along. Would adding and granualted sugar or something help me get this up to around 5% at least? It has been 3 months..or should I just tuck it in a corner and forget about it until summer? Is there a limit on how long a cider can sit?

THANKS!!!!!

If anyone has any ideas???

Thanks!!!

Did you add sugar to it? Apfelwein calls for 2 or more pounds of sugar per 5 gallons.

I would swear you bought juice with preservatives if you hadn't already said otherwise. Apple juice + any yeast will drop to damn near 1.000 in no time for me. I dunno....

I used Apple Cider from the Grocery Store, so my guess now, by everyones comment would be that it had Potassium Sorbate, I will go back to the store and check. If it did, am I screwed? My wife just NEEDED a cider didn't she!!! LOL!

Should I scrap and start over? Any good recipes or ideas? Or could this be salvaged?

Thanks

it looks like the yeast is working. I would let it set in the corner of the basement. the Champain yeast will still do the job at 68 I have had my frementation temp down to almost 60 and still worked fine. I would pitch another round of enigizer and nutrients and see what happens. you have invested this amount of time so don't give up now.

I've been brewing a good bit of cider recently. I haven't seen any apple juice with sorbate, some of the fruit blends did. I had some Great Value juice, one pound sugar, areated with pure O2, added yeast nutrient and pitched some Windsor slurry. The Windsor tore through it in about 2 weeks. Went from 1.058 to around 1.002. Next batch I used juice from Aldi's, left out the sugar, areated and pitched WL 002 English Ale slurry. After a month it went from 1.048 to 1.012.

I have two batches right now that are a bit of a test between Great Value and Aldi's juice. With all things equal I want to see if one ferments better than the other.

I am pretty certain that my cider had PS in it, with that said, it has been in the secondary for over 3 months and it is sitting at 2% and hasn't moved for the last month.

Since PS is a yeast inhibator not really a killer, is it worth trying to do starter this time and get the yeast live and re-pitch? I just can't seem to give up on this batch, but am just about too and dump it and start over with the right receipe this time.

Thoughts?