Cider isn't fermenting!

I tried to make some elderflower cider and was told that it may have some wild yeast in it. I let it stay for a couple of days without putting in any yeast.

It started to bubble pretty much in the air lock and at that time the gravity was 1.051. Then after 5 days I checked the gravity again after lots of bubbling and it was at 1.050!

How can it bubble so much without eating any sugars?

So I threw in 12g of rehydrated yeast in the 60l batch.

After 3 days it still hasn't shown any sign of fermentation, not even airlock activity, what is wrong?!

Is the batch destroyed or can it be saved?
Is 12g of yeast too small of an amount to 60l with a gravity of 1.050?

Regards Zaptop

Are you using store bought cider? Many off the shelf ciders are treated with preservatives that will inhibit fermentation. Ingredients to avoid are potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate - they both interfere with yeast's ability to reproduce.

Also, how are you measuring gravity? Hydrometer or refractometer?

I used handpicked elderflowers and I use a hydrometer!

It also never had any foam! Please can someone help?

zaptop said:

I used handpicked elderflowers and I use a hydrometer!

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Post your recipe, might help these people figure it out.

10 kg of sugar dissolved in 20L of hot water, add 40L of cold water, add zest and juice of 20 lemons, some winegar and 100 elderflower heads.

zaptop said:

10 kg of sugar dissolved in 20L of hot water, add 40L of cold water, add zest and juice of 20 lemons, some winegar and 100 elderflower heads.

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Seriously?
The lemon juice & vinegar lowered the PH & likely inhibited or even killed the yeast. Why would you add vinegar? If you want to make cider, ferment apple juice, add sugar if you like. You might start with this recipe, it's about as easy as it gets:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14860
Regards, GF.

gratus fermentatio said:

Seriously?
The lemon juice & vinegar lowered the PH & likely inhibited or even killed the yeast. Why would you add vinegar? If you want to make cider, ferment apple juice, add sugar if you like. You might start with this recipe, it's about as easy as it gets:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14860
Regards, GF.

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Is that so? :O
I followed the recipe from river cottage and was told to have lemons and white wine winegar :/

Btw, it started to bubble like crazy in the airlock today, but still no foam! What does that mean?

Okay it is now fermenting, but is it nornal for it to not have any foam?

Yes. "Foam" generally comes from proteins and sometimes from fruit, but often there is no foam at all in wines.

Yooper said:

Yes. "Foam" generally comes from proteins and sometimes from fruit, but often there is no foam at all in wines.

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Thank you very much for the quick answer!