First Time Using Nottingham

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fathertorque

fathertorque

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Fermenting 5 gallons of cider around 60* with an OG of 1.06, would it be unusual to have a batch still bubbling slightly after nearly 2 months? It was started the weekend after Thanksgiving. I measured gravity last weekend and it was just under 1.00....I'm about ready to say I at least need to pull it off primary and into a secondary. Just a sidenote, this is my first 5 gallon batch to use ale yeast in, up to this point I've been using champagne yeast...so I'm a little unsure as to just how long it can sit on the ale yeast. The sample I tested smelled and tasted far more "apply" than any of my previous batches ever has, so I'd rather not let this sit too long and strip that out.

Thanks! :tank:
 
Sounds like it may have stalled. How many packets did you pitch? 1.100 should get 2 packets. 1.030 would be a mighty sweet cider.
 
lumpher said:
Sounds like it may have stalled. How many packets did you pitch? 1.100 should get 2 packets. 1.030 would be a mighty sweet cider.
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And this is why proofreading is key children....sorry, should have read 0.03. I only pitched a 5 gram packet. However, it's still bubbling away steadily. There's been no stall.
 
You're at about 9% now and Nottingham should be good for 12% with proper feeding. If it's still bubbling it probably is still working, though 2 months is kinda long. Racking it will slow it down even more. I think I'd try some yeast energizer and see if it picks up and rack when it's done.
 
Maylar said:
You're at about 9% now and Nottingham should be good for 12% with proper feeding. If it's still bubbling it probably is still working, though 2 months is kinda long. Racking it will slow it down even more. I think I'd try some yeast energizer and see if it picks up and rack when it's done.
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Not a bad idea, so far I haven't given the yeast anything aside from the original juice and additional 2lbs brown sugar. Maybe give it 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of energizer?
 
seabrew8 said:
Thats a pretty low fermentation temp, thats probably why its taking so long - i would increase it to 68f.
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To be brutally honest I'm kinda guesstimating on the temp. Generally keep the house around 70 and the pantry backs up to an exterior wall so it stays cooler, so maybe around 60-65 ambient in the pantry, and I have the fermenter wrapped in an insulated jacket to hold internal temp from the ferment. It's a slow process bridging that gap to being a quasi-exact science.
 
I'd agree with seabrew that the low temp may be the reason for your slow fermentation. It may be colder than you think in your pantry...I think the recommended temp for Not is around 57-70F, so you may be right on the edge. A slow fermentation is not a bad thing, though. I'd rack it off into a secondary and get it off any lees right now so it can finish fermentation and start aging a bit. Did you add any yeast nutrient from the start?
 
Negative. The apple cider/juice I used was pressed and full of lots of sediment so I relied solely on the contents. Since fermentation hasn't stalled I'm guessing it wasn't a terrible call. I do think I'll rack off into a secondary this evening. Regrettably, I've only got the one large 5 gallon carboy. My next stage will have to be a 4 gallon plastic and an old rossi jug for the final one gallon...which I might just not even carb and let that be a flat "wine."
 
I think you'll be okay. My last batch of cider a few months ago took longer than expected to fully ferment and I believe my temps were colder than normal. I don't have my notebook in front of me but I believe it took me over a month to completely finish. I've had some batches with Not go completely dry in 10 days (or less), so when I checked this last one after a couple weeks to find it still needed to go more I was worried like you. But, a couple more weeks and it was fine.

When all my carboys are occupied I end up racking one into a 5 gallon bucket to free up a carboy. After all the racking is finished and the free carboy is cleaned/sanitized, I just transfer the cider from the bucket back into the carboy. One extra step, but keeps everything in carboys.
 
jstluise said:
I think you'll be okay. My last batch of cider a few months ago took longer than expected to fully ferment and I believe my temps were colder than normal. I don't have my notebook in front of me but I believe it took me over a month to completely finish. I've had some batches with Not go completely dry in 10 days (or less), so when I checked this last one after a couple weeks to find it still needed to go more I was worried like you. But, a couple more weeks and it was fine.

When all my carboys are occupied I end up racking one into a 5 gallon bucket to free up a carboy. After all the racking is finished and the free carboy is cleaned/sanitized, I just transfer the cider from the bucket back into the carboy. One extra step, but keeps everything in carboys.
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea with the temporary bucket. Wish I hadn't sacrificed my last Homer bucket for a house project. I'll file that idea for next time. After moving the primary I'm seeing more bubbles in the blowoff but since it's already at 8ish% and been on the lees 2 months I'm going ahead with pulling it off. "It's still booze" and with everything in this hobby a learning step. And really 8% is good enough for me on an experimental run; could have always done nothing at all.
 
Give it some time and see what happens. How did it taste at this point? Pretty sweet still? In my experience with Nottingham I've found it to have a bitter taste in the beginning (after fermentation), but it goes away and gets smoother after some aging. Last summer I had some bottles sit for a few months (mainly because I wasn't too fond of it in the beginning and lost interest) and by that time it was the best tasting cider I've made...I almost regret drinking the rest of the batch so quickly and not letting it age. But now I know really letting the cider age makes it that much better.

I'm trying to make sense of your first post. You started with an SG of 1.100, and now you are at 1.030? Or .030? The 1.030 makes sense but I know what the .030 means. Could you clarify?
 
jstluise said:
I think you'll be okay. My last batch of cider a few months ago took longer than expected to fully ferment and I believe my temps were colder than normal. I don't have my notebook in front of me but I believe it took me over a month to completely finish. I've had some batches with Not go completely dry in 10 days (or less), so when I checked this last one after a couple weeks to find it still needed to go more I was worried like you. But, a couple more weeks and it was fine.

When all my carboys are occupied I end up racking one into a 5 gallon bucket to free up a carboy. After all the racking is finished and the free carboy is cleaned/sanitized, I just transfer the cider from the bucket back into the carboy. One extra step, but keeps everything in carboys.
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea with the temporary bucket. Wish I hadn't sacrificed my last Homer bucket for a house project. I'll file that idea for next time. After moving the primary I'm seeing more bubbles in the blowoff but since it's already at 8ish% and been on the lees 2 months I'm going ahead with pulling it off. "It's still booze" and with everything in this hobby a learning step. And really 8% is good enough for me on an experimental run; could have always done nothing at all.
 
jstluise said:
Give it some time and see what happens. How did it taste at this point? Pretty sweet still? In my experience with Nottingham I've found it to have a bitter taste in the beginning (after fermentation), but it goes away and gets smoother after some aging. Last summer I had some bottles sit for a few months (mainly because I wasn't too fond of it in the beginning and lost interest) and by that time it was the best tasting cider I've made...I almost regret drinking the rest of the batch so quickly and not letting it age. But now I know really letting the cider age makes it that much better.

I'm trying to make sense of your first post. You started with an SG of 1.100, and now you are at 1.030? Or .030? The 1.030 makes sense but I know what the .030 means. Could you clarify?
Click to expand...

Apparently I pulled those numbers from the air, my apologies I posted from work and was confusing batch notes. This one started at 1.06 and at the time of going into secondary was just under 1.00. Last time I post without my notes handy.
 
fathertorque said:
Apparently I pulled those numbers from the air, my apologies I posted from work and was confusing batch notes. This one started at 1.06 and at the time of going into secondary was just under 1.00. Last time I post without my notes handy.
Click to expand...

Oh, well in that case you don't have anything to worry about...you're all done fermenting! :) An OG of 1.060 should put you at around 8% ABV. Let it sit in the secondary for a while and clear up, then you'll be ready for bottling/kegging!
 
jstluise said:
Oh, well in that case you don't have anything to worry about...you're all done fermenting! :) An OG of 1.060 should put you at around 8% ABV. Let it sit in the secondary for a while and clear up, then you'll be ready for bottling/kegging!
Click to expand...

Yeah! As soon as I pulled out my notes I ran the numbers, snagged another gravity test and it's still showing under 1.00 so it appears my timing is good!
 
madscientist451 said:
So what did it taste like after 2 months?
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Well, it didn't taste rotten or nasty. Had more mouth feel and apple taste than the ciders I've made with EC1118. Oddly it smells sweet but is more on the dry side with just a hint of sweet after taste. Carbonating with some white sugar and then shelf aging for 8 months should bring a bit more out of it. May attempt to roll a batch with the left over lees; give them some nutrients and see what science does.
 
So my cider has been in secondary a week, after being in primary nearly 2 damn months...and I'm debating if it needs to be racked again into a third or of I'm good to let it hang in secondary awhile longer before bottling. I suppose taking a gravity reading would answer my question.
 
That's the direction I was leaning...just needed a push. There's barely any visible amount of lees so I'm gonna let it chill a couple months longer.
 
I couldn't stand it any longer. When I split to secondary one gallon had to go into a jug on it's own....it's now been designated a taste testing batch. Two 750ml bottles went into the fridge and the rest has been donated to "science." It's tart and thin with a watery mouth feel but has a far advanced apple taste than my previous ec1118 ciders have had. It's no award winner, and it's real green still, but if the other 4 gallons age accordingly and take back sweetening and pastuerizing well I'm expecting good results. I'd cold crash it, but don't have the fridge space and want to gift it.
 

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