24 hours, cider hasnt started fermenting

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mtjohnston

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I started my first batch of cider yesterday, but now after 24 hours, it's still not going. It was pure cider, no chemicals, and uv pasteurized. I thing it might've been too hot when I added the yeast. I was making it at a friends house, so that he could have it on display, so I wasn't able to check the temp, or take a sg reading. It was a spur of the moment thing, kinda stupid, but I need to know when I should just chuck it and start over. It's one of my only 1 gal jugs.
 
It is very easy to kill the yeast with heat. The temp to touch of the must should be only barely perceptible as being warmer than your hand; if it is anything near the temperature of "bathwater" or warmer, you may have killed it.
Don't dump it ... re-add yeast. Even if you don't have more wine yeast, in the interest of salvaging the batch just add bread yeast (which is really just a mixed strain yeast). The taste won't be as good as with a more suitable yeast but it will be drinkable ... anyone who's made JAO (Ancient Orange mead) has used bread yeast with success.

If the existing yeast was ok ... then I'd go back and heavily re-aerate. Also if you didn't add any nutrients already and you have some on hand, I'd dose it. If you were a lot further along in time, aeration becomes more risky with regard to the development of infection.

If it's in an open top primary, aerate by giving it a vigorous stir (a stir that produces froth) for a good 4 minutes straight. If it's in the gallon jug you could shake the jug vigorously while periodically taking the cap off the top to let air in (or removing your hand from the opening etc) ... again, do this for about 4 minutes.

But really from what you said, I'd say the money was on that you killed some or all of the yeast.

As noted though, waiting a bit longer may let any surviving yeast multiply ... it may still work.
 
Jacob_Marley said:
It is very easy to kill the yeast with heat. The temp to touch of the must should be only barely perceptible as being warmer than your hand; if it is anything near the temperature of "bathwater" or warmer, you may have killed it.
Don't dump it ... re-add yeast. Even if you don't have more wine yeast, in the interest of salvaging the batch just add bread yeast (which is really just a mixed strain yeast). The taste won't be as good as with a more suitable yeast but it will be drinkable ... anyone who's made JAO (Ancient Orange mead) has used bread yeast with success.

If the existing yeast was ok ... then I'd go back and heavily re-aerate. Also if you didn't add any nutrients already and you have some on hand, I'd dose it. If you were a lot further along in time, aeration becomes more risky with regard to the development of infection.

If it's in an open top primary, aerate by giving it a vigorous stir (a stir that produces froth) for a good 4 minutes straight. If it's in the gallon jug you could shake the jug vigorously while periodically taking the cap off the top to let air in (or removing your hand from the opening etc) ... again, do this for about 4 minutes.

But really from what you said, I'd say the money was on that you killed some or all of the yeast.

As noted though, waiting a bit longer may let any surviving yeast multiply ... it may still work.

I ended up starting a yeast primer, thing... Idk what to call it. I mixed honey, water and yeast in a bottle and got it going, then I added it. Should I aerate it as well?
 
While your starter should do the trick without aerating, if you are using a jug rather than a bucket as your primary fermenter then yes, I would. An open top bucket provides enough oxygen exposure for the yeast ... carboys or jugs a little less so. Generally, you should aerate when using a jug/carboy as a primary just prior to adding the yeast. Note that other than starting a stalled ferment, this however is one of the few instances you would actually try to introduce oxygen to a must.
If you see that your yeast is now successfully working in the must, then you're all set and there is generally no need for any further aeration.
 

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