1st TC Batch

Hi there

I started a TC batch last night using Aldi concentrate apple juice, youngs wine yeast and nutrient and 120gm of sugar.

I started with dissolving the sugar into 1L of heated apple juice and then place that into a sanitised DJ, topped up with 2L more and then waited until temp went to about 30C and added the yeast.

After about 20 minutes the mix started fermenting and so I capped with airlock and wrapped in t-towels and left on side in kitchen over night. I have come down this morning and there is a foam on the surface but A/L activity has stopped.

Could it be too cold for it in the kitchen? Its about 18-19C in the room.

Any suggestions would be great, I wouldn't want my first ever batch to be a waste!!

TIA Rich

what's tc?
18-19 will be fine, it can take a few days to really kick off. use a hydrometer to monitor fermentation if possible, not the airlock
personally, i wouldn't heat the juice (can make it cloudy) and wouldn't add yeast at 30 deg but should be ok. if gravity doesn't change after a couple days you could pitch another packet of yeast

Thanks for the advice, I will use the hydrometer as suggested and be a little more patient

TC is turbo cider, I thought it was a commonly used abbreviation!! Sorry for assuming

All started well and now the fermentation has slowed to nothing, it has been like that for 2 days since I topped up after the inital frothing.

I have a cider making book my fiancee has just bought me and it suggested to add a teaspoon of nutrient, how long should I give this? And if this doesnt work is it worth adding a further yeast? Should i draw some liquid off and make a starter batch?

Dont really want to lose my first batch if possible but also know that it might be a lost cause but at least it didnt cost too much to start

is it just finished or definitely stuck? what is the gravity?

Wow just checked the gravity and it was near enough 1.000!!

I have tasted it and it tastes a little on the vinegar side but not terrible, I have bottled it into 2L bottles with a little sugar but my question now is, will it get any better or have I lost a batch and will the vinegar flavour go? I did use an airlock on the demijohn

that'll be because of exposure to oxygen, but some people confuse the vinegary taste with immaturity. It's likely to taste better if you leave it in the bottles and age it for a while, but by the sounds of things, you probably don't want to

Next time - don't fiddle with it unless you really need to, as this has probably came about through reacting with the air.

Thanks I will give it a chance and let it mature for a while, is a couple of weeks too soon? What is the longest I should leave it before it goes off?

I think next time as well I will use the hydrometer rather than guessing, cant believe that it finished so quickly, that's some strong yeast!!

If it's airtight and free from infection and bacteria, it won't go off at all - hence why the best wines etc can be decades or centuries old. The only real exception is beer which tends to get worse with age bar a few exceptions.

The longer you leave it, the better it will be, basically. I usually age for 3 months minimum, but you might like it after a few weeks. In your case, i'd put another batch on now, learn from your mistakes and hopefully make something much better

Well both demijohns are now in use, one has my second youngs 7 day kit which is sauvignon blanc which is clearing and will be bottled in the next couple of days and I have just started off a youngs 21 day Chardonnay kit in the other.

I think I will wait for the bottling and then try again, the 2 bottles of cider will be put in the outhouse and left I think for a while to see how they go, at least there if they explode then the mess won't be too bad!!

Its all a lot of fun and I get to try my new bottler that my OH bought me for my birthday yesterday!!