8 days, stopped fermentation plus suck back?

So after 8 days of fermenting some cranberry juice, it semi abruply stopped and has suck back through the airlock. This didnt happen with the other batches ive done. What gives?

Temperature change? If your fermenter cooled off significantly you could get suck back.

-OCD

No, i had a strand of lights around it the whole time. Maybe its just done? It liked being over 80 degrees (off the thermo scale). I unplugged the lights a few days ago and within an hour fermentation had slowed significantly because of the temperature drop so i plugged them back in.

That is pretty high of a ferment temp. If it dropped back down to ambient temperatures, then you will definitely see a slowed fermentation, perhaps combined with a change in humidity caused the suck back.

Maybe your fermenter was just puckering.

I know cranberry juice makes me pucker.

Guess number two; it was so warm the vodka in the airlock evaporated.
Guess number three; someone in your house needed a drink really bad.

-OCD

so i just tried some, and its ****ing amazing. BUT, the hydro reading is like 1.035. I dont understand how its still that high after fermenting like crazy for many days. Do you guys think i killed off the yeast with the temperature? Should i pitch another? is there a reason why the SO4 would have given up with cranberry juice?

let me know what you guys think I should do

nickmpower said:

so i just tried some, and its ****ing amazing. BUT, the hydro reading is like 1.035. I dont understand how its still that high after fermenting like crazy for many days. Do you guys think i killed off the yeast with the temperature? Should i pitch another? is there a reason why the SO4 would have given up with cranberry juice?

let me know what you guys think I should do

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When you take a reading, make sure to dunk than hydro down into the beer a couple times to knock off any CO2 that may be clinging. Those CO2 bubble like to gather on your hydro and cause it to float.

yep, i did that

so i pitched another packet of yeast, and added another cup of sugar. I guess i should have added the cup then waited to see if anything happened before pitching another packet. oh well, its bubbling

Why more sugar? If it's already not done, adding more sugar is going to boost the SG and stress the yeast more. Depending on how much sugar you added at the beginning (what was the OG?), you may exceed the alcohol tolerature/attenuation of the yeast you used and end up with a very sweet high octane drink.

If it stops again, try some wine yeast like Lalvin's EC-1118, or Red Star's Champagne yeast.

i only added 2 cups in the beginning, less then a pound

I just picked up this thread and am interested in making some all-cranberry cider myself. Have you figured out the problem? How has the process resolved?

It fermented for quite a long while after i added more yeast. I just put it in the fridge yesterday and am going to wait a couple weeks for it to clear. I will let you know how it is.

nickmpower said:

So after 8 days of fermenting some cranberry juice, it semi abruply stopped and has suck back through the airlock. This didnt happen with the other batches ive done. What gives?

Click to expand...

A temp change or sometimes even a significant change in barometric pressure can cause suck-back. You can avoid this problem by switching to an "S" type airlock instead of the 3 pc. Regards, GF.

cimirie said:

I just picked up this thread and am interested in making some all-cranberry cider myself. Have you figured out the problem? How has the process resolved?

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I think it was because of the heat. I siphoned it off today and used 1/2-2/3 a cup of concentrate per half gallon and the stuff is ****ing amazing