Emergency???

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CrabandWinkle

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Sep 24, 2012
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Sussex
Hi everybody,

I'm VERY new here so apologies for this.

We pressed our first batch of apples on Friday night. That evening I added Camden tablets and on Saturday night added the pectin enzyme. Now I find myself on Monday night (was only able to purchase a hydrometer today) and I haven't added my yeast. I've just added sugar to bring up the potential alcohol and feel that i should be adding my yeast ASAP.
Just wondering if anybody were in my shoes, if you would just add the yeast now, or is it possible to add more camden tablets given the amount of time it has been since pressing (Friday-Monday) to kill off any yeasts that have developed since the first round of tablets?

Thank you kindly... Any help if greatly appreciated!
 
Hi everybody,

I'm VERY new here so apologies for this.

We pressed our first batch of apples on Friday night. That evening I added Camden tablets and on Saturday night added the pectin enzyme. Now I find myself on Monday night (was only able to purchase a hydrometer today) and I haven't added my yeast. I've just added sugar to bring up the potential alcohol and feel that i should be adding my yeast ASAP.
Just wondering if anybody were in my shoes, if you would just add the yeast now, or is it possible to add more camden tablets given the amount of time it has been since pressing (Friday-Monday) to kill off any yeasts that have developed since the first round of tablets?

Thank you kindly... Any help if greatly appreciated!

Go ahead and add the yeast now. I probably wouldn't wait any longer.
 
Yooper- Thanks mate! From browsing this forum I've noticed your posts and was secretly hoping you'd be the person to reply! Just added some champagne yeast and have my fingers crossed that I didnt ruin the whole batch.
Thanks again. I greatly appreciate your knowledgeable and timely response.
Happy Pressing!
 
Yooper- Thanks mate! From browsing this forum I've noticed your posts and was secretly hoping you'd be the person to reply! Just added some champagne yeast and have my fingers crossed that I didnt ruin the whole batch.
Thanks again. I greatly appreciate your knowledgeable and timely response.
Happy Pressing!

No, I don't think you'd get contamination between adding the sulfites on Friday and today. Champagne yeast can outcompete anything anyway, just about, so I think you're good!

Let us know how it comes out in the end.
 
By the way, I'm jealous that your first batch was personally pressed. I've got about a half dozen batches under my belt and haven't pressed anything yet.
 
campden tablets dissipate after about 24 hours, and last about 3-4 days. supposed to last a week, but take that risk only if you feel like rolling the dice
 
Yooper- Thanks again. I will definitely let you know how things progress.

ditchbanker- Thanks mate- We built this massive beast of a press and named it 'Spikehorn' (antlers screwed to the top beam). The amazing part is the scratter we built. It's a shock nobody has been injured yet. It's connected to a 3 horsepower motor and demolishes the apples. Looks like an incredibly dangerous piece of machinery.
We have lined everything with HDPE plastic too, Our goal is to press 3 or 4 more times, hopefully yielding in or around 200 litres to make our 3 planned varieties. Up here in Canada, the varieties we are using are still not quite ready yet.

lumpher- Thank you kindly for that. I couldn't find anything on the web that spoke to the longevity of camden tablets. Much appreciated!
 
Yooper- Thanks again. I will definitely let you know how things progress.

ditchbanker- Thanks mate- We built this massive beast of a press and named it 'Spikehorn' (antlers screwed to the top beam). The amazing part is the scratter we built. It's a shock nobody has been injured yet. It's connected to a 3 horsepower motor and demolishes the apples. Looks like an incredibly dangerous piece of machinery.
We have lined everything with HDPE plastic too, Our goal is to press 3 or 4 more times, hopefully yielding in or around 200 litres to make our 3 planned varieties. Up here in Canada, the varieties we are using are still not quite ready yet.

lumpher- Thank you kindly for that. I couldn't find anything on the web that spoke to the longevity of camden tablets. Much appreciated!

OK. Bad Title? FORGIVEN.

No pics of "Spikehorn"?????? You will be excommunicated......please provide pics ASAP.....
 
Haha, sorry cheezydemon. It was an emergency in my eyes!

And I'll upload a photo of old Spikehorn tonight. As long as I can stay in the good graces of a demon.
 
Here she be! In all her pressure withstanding glory!

Sussex-20120921-00119.jpg
 
Glad I've been redeemed!

It does work quite well. Very pelased with the results. Also, the antlers add some toughness and works as a handy cheese cloth holder ;)
 
Well back to my original concern. Fermentation....

Its been almost 48 hours and nothing appears to be happening. But I'm not certain as to what I should be seeing at this stage. I do have a rim of very small bubbles in one carboy and the other is basically flat looking.

I'll will keep my hopes up. I used champagne yeast (is a 5 g packet enough for a 23l carboy>!?) Also, I have it stored in about a 10 degrees celsius room. I've read that this might cause some delays. I just hope it wasn't the delay in pitching the yeast!
 
10C is really too cold. Champagne yeast might work at 15C, but I don't think it'll really get going well at 10 C. Can you add a space heater or something to the room to get it at 20C or higher?
 
I guess I don't really have a choice do I? I'll turn the heat on in that room. I was trying to save a few bucks by not heating that room. Thanks again Yooper!:mug:
 
Alas, still nothing. The room temp is about 20C.

I think I'm going to bin the entire batch tonight. Thought about re-pitching but it has been 72 hours so far. I've lost hope. Any last minute suggestions? Anyone?
 
Lol, sorry, I was so distracted by "bad assed home made press" that I ignored your actual plea for help.

Now I need redeeming!;)
 
hah no worries.
So I have some 'activity'. brownish stuff collecting on top of the juice. I assume that means fermentation has kicked in. However, I haven't really seen many bubbles coming up through? Does that sounds like fermentation or a botched batch?
 
Hi AppleJacker- I think you are right!

So yesterday I camehome from work and the house smells like a cidery (I suppose) and the cider was not only up into the air lock but also foaming out the top! The fermentation was incredible- non stop bubbles- it was like an eruption!
I quickly cleaned it up and added a blow off tube system- settled down a bit this morning but still fermenting!

What a relief!
 
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