I started about 16 .5 to 1 gal test batches of hard cider last fall.
Something has gotten in the mix that makes them very acidic or something. So much so that it's burning my mouth and throat.
My local brew shop has suggested that apple cider gets very acidic and I know that apple cider vinegar is one of the more acidic vinegars....incase they've just started to turn. I've had apple cider vinegar and haven't had this problem. And my ph levels are all about 3.6 to 3.8 which sounds like it would be normal. Not all of my batches are bad and there seems to be no noticeable link to the ph level and batches that are bad.
In one of my half gals I put in a can of concentrated apple juice to see if that would dilute whatever was causing the problem. That didn't work so I put in a tsp of potassium bicarbonate and let that run its course for a few weeks. That didn't work..... this batch tastes great but burns.
I also had switched from using 1 Step to Star San for my sanitizing. My understanding is that the foam you get from the Star San is ok to have left in the container and I haven't been very good about letting it dry. With the 1 Step that didn't seem to be a problem but the Star San uses acid to work I think and so I'm wondering if something when wrong with the sanitizing.
My ciders have not fermented down to 0 yet so I dropped in potassium sorbate to get them to be ready to bottle. This is the first time I've used potassium sorbate so I don't know if I'm just having a reaction to it. This doesn't seem like just an allergic reaction that would result in swelling.
I'm working on getting my self to accept that most of these batches are just a loss. I'll probably get over it eventually. BUT I'd really like to know what happened so I know need to learn this expensive lesson again.
Does anyone have any ideas of what the problem might be?
Thanks
Something has gotten in the mix that makes them very acidic or something. So much so that it's burning my mouth and throat.
My local brew shop has suggested that apple cider gets very acidic and I know that apple cider vinegar is one of the more acidic vinegars....incase they've just started to turn. I've had apple cider vinegar and haven't had this problem. And my ph levels are all about 3.6 to 3.8 which sounds like it would be normal. Not all of my batches are bad and there seems to be no noticeable link to the ph level and batches that are bad.
In one of my half gals I put in a can of concentrated apple juice to see if that would dilute whatever was causing the problem. That didn't work so I put in a tsp of potassium bicarbonate and let that run its course for a few weeks. That didn't work..... this batch tastes great but burns.
I also had switched from using 1 Step to Star San for my sanitizing. My understanding is that the foam you get from the Star San is ok to have left in the container and I haven't been very good about letting it dry. With the 1 Step that didn't seem to be a problem but the Star San uses acid to work I think and so I'm wondering if something when wrong with the sanitizing.
My ciders have not fermented down to 0 yet so I dropped in potassium sorbate to get them to be ready to bottle. This is the first time I've used potassium sorbate so I don't know if I'm just having a reaction to it. This doesn't seem like just an allergic reaction that would result in swelling.
I'm working on getting my self to accept that most of these batches are just a loss. I'll probably get over it eventually. BUT I'd really like to know what happened so I know need to learn this expensive lesson again.
Does anyone have any ideas of what the problem might be?
Thanks