Just Getting Started, Need Help

Hello All,

I am just getting started brewing some Hard Apple Cider and think I might have a problem.

I mixed 4 gallons of cider with 4 pounds of sugar in a 5 gallon pail. I then added some brewers yeast. Then, I put a lid on the bucket to seal it. I had previously inserted an airlock into the lid, and sealed the opening with some silicone.

It has been about 24 hours since I made the batch and the airlock has not yet started to bubble...did I do something wrong?

Thanks!

Sounds like you did everything, it should start up soon. Have you looked inside yet to see if there are signs of life? I like to rehydrate my yeast first, it gives me a little reassurance that the yeast was active when I put it in. What's the temperature? Did you happen to get a Specific Gravity reading (not necessary, but it does help you track the progress of things).

Just popped the top off, it doesn't look like too much is going on, It looks the same as before I put the yeast in, so I'm guessing the yeast sunk to the bottom? Should I rehydrate more yeast and add it?

I unfortunately broke my brand new hydrometer the second I got it home, but its sitting in a dark closet at about 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thanks for your help!

24 hours is not a long time. Seal it up and give it a day or so. Once that yeast gets working, you should smell it. 4 gallons of cider and 4 pounds of sugar is pretty extreme. How much alcohol are you trying to coax out of it?

4 gallons of cider and 4 lbs of sugar should give you an OG of around 1.095. I hope you don't plan on drinking it soon. It will be harsh at first.

What yeast?

You have the potential for 13+% abv. If you used an ale yeast it might not make it.

High OG will delay fermentation. Wait until 48 hours before you start worrying.

So over the past couple weeks I have been distracted and basically forgot about my fermenting cider. Today, I noticed that there was cider all over the top of my carboy and my apartment reeked of booze. It looked to me like the pressure had pushed the airlock off, as the seal was broken between the airlock and bucket. I had never seen the thing actually bubble, though to be honest I wasn't watching it that actively.

So, reasonably, I popped the top off, cleaned it off, skimmed the foam off the top, and am now looking at a bucket full of what I assume is hard cider.

So, is it safe to drink, and is it actually hard cider? Or have I made a mistake and need to start over? And what should I do to avoid this next time?

What was in the bucket:
4 gallons unpasteurized, preservative free cider
4 pounds sugar
16 oz of brewers yeast

Time: 2 weeks, 4 days.

Thanks!

You had that yeast fermenting 4 lbs of sugar in 4 gallons of liquid. Look into blow off tubes on this forum to avoid popping your top again. Your cider is safe to drink but what does it taste like?

It doens't taste that good or bad really. It tastes like apples and has a huge bite at the end. Are there things I can do now to improve the taste or should I just change my recipe next batch?