New to cidermaking, stalled yeast? Rack and secondary fermentation?

I am totally new to cider making but I read up beforehand so hopefully I haven't made any rookie mistakes but I have a question about our cider which is around 1.011 and still quite sweet after about 4-5 weeks in a primary.

• We pressed our own apples and added brown sugar to get OG around 1.070
• Added sulphites and pectic enzyme, waited 24hrs, pitched White Labs Old English Cider Yeast and yeast nutrient.
• Fermentation never went crazy, peaked at about one bubble every 3-5 seconds
• Slowed to 1 bubble every 12-15 seconds
• Still slightly cloudy - didn't clear, gravity around 1.011 4-5 weeks later

I am planning to rack it into a secondary this week to get if off the dead yeast. My question is can I re pitch some champagne yeast to drive it down to around 1.000? Will this work? The 1.010 taste is a bit too sweet and I prefer a drier cider, is there any other way of driving this down or will it continue to get down to 1.000 on its own in a secondary?

Any advice would be great!

Thanks!

Are you sure the fermentation has stalled? Are you hydrometer readings the same over a few days?

If yes, then go ahead and re-pitch.

If no, then it should make it to 1.000 (or easily lower) by itself given enough time but is probably lacking in nutrients at this stage and slowing, you can rack off the lees now if you want or not. No need to add champagne yeast unless you're in a hurry.

What temp are you fermenting at? Try bumping it warmer, then give it a swirl or two.

Hey.

Thanks for your replies! After reading I think I'm just paranoid as it is my first batch! We didn't make a starter just pitched the vial, wed didnt give the yeast a good shake on pitching we just poured it on top and the temp is about 65 (I just checked). The slow fermentation is probably just a combination of all those things coupled with fresh pressed apples?! I think I'll leave it on the primary for another week or so and check the gravity every few days.

Thanks for all your advice

For fresh pressed, I'd make sure to make a starter next time. Yea, the campden kills most of the undesirable bugs, but a healthy yeast starter makes sure to overpower anything straggling and trying to take hold, as to minimize risk of infection (since it aint like beer where the wort is boiled). That would probably better prevent a stalled ferment as well. Kept my cider at 65 degrees and it went from 1.058 to 1.002 in 6 days! With just yeast nutrient, yeast energizer, and a healthy Safale SO-4 starter brewed for a few days.

PLEASE HELP ME I AM NEW TO BREWING AND HAVE NO IDEA !!!

I live in Hong Kong and they have recently lifted the laws on home brewing, however there are no stores to purchase any supplies at all (only overseas with shipment 4 times the price of the actually supplies) - so i have tried my best with limited resources.

I pressed my apples then started primary fermentation. after 6 days i transferred to a second bottle for secondary fermentation - with a home made airlock (that i airtight - i tested) however this funny film has developed and no air is coming out of the airlock (please see photo)

Could somebody please try and help me figure out what has happened ???

thank you in advance