Possible Apple Ale Fail?!

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chappyman7

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Hello brewmasters.

Bought an apple ale kit from Midwest. Added a gallon of pure cider during primary fermentation(3 days after boil). Smells great, tastes pretty decent, but the gravity reading is showing a 1.036... It started at 1.048. I don't know what could have happened! Is it best just to throw it out and save the bottles?
 
Hello brewmasters.

Bought an apple ale kit from Midwest. Added a gallon of pure cider during primary fermentation(3 days after boil). Smells great, tastes pretty decent, but the gravity reading is showing a 1.036... It started at 1.048. I don't know what could have happened! Is it best just to throw it out and save the bottles?

hmm, what was your gravity before adding the gallon of cider?

i'm sure it's fine! don't just up and toss it just yet.
 
How long has it been fermenting when you took got the 1.036 reading. What ever you do don't throw it out.
 
It has been in ferm for two weeks. I went to bottle it last night but it gave me this reading so i put the lid back on and asked you guys! Safe and sound. Should I just bottle it today? The thing is, if it doesn't have alcohol in it i don't want it! :) :tank:
 
I need the fermenter for my blood orange Hef that I want to brew today so I am just going to bottle it unless I hear otherwise in the next hour or so!
 
It has been in ferm for two weeks. I went to bottle it last night but it gave me this reading so i put the lid back on and asked you guys! Safe and sound. Should I just bottle it today? The thing is, if it doesn't have alcohol in it i don't want it! :) :tank:

Did your kit recommend bottling in just 2 weeks?
 
Just an update for anyone interested:

Went to the LHBS and talked to them about what happened with this apple ale, they gave me a packet of ale yeast and instructed me to stir up the wort and sprinkle the new yeast on top of the wort to restart fermentation. One of them claims to have been brewing for 20 years so I took his word for it and added the yeast. Will update you guys as things progress!
 
Another update: Moved the fermenter into a slightly warmer room(around 68 degrees) after pitching the new yeast and it seems to be working! I can see the airlock bubbling and the gravity was around 1.028 so we are getting somewhere! Dunno if anyone really cares I just figured I might as well update
 
I would have advised to NOT stir it, or if you really felt like it would help, do it VERY gently.
 
Stirring can add oxygen into the wort (now beer as it has alcohol present) and skunk it. However, oxygen also helps the yeasties out, as it encourages them. It's a good thing when you start fermentation, not after it's been going for 2 weeks.

When most people here say "Stir" on a brew, it is done by swirling the fermentation vessel to get the yeast cake back in suspension, or if additives have been added they want back in suspension. They are then allowed to settle back out before racking. During this "Stirring" process, the fermentation vessel remains closed so as to not allow oxygen into the beer or wine/mead.
 
It just causes greater chance of oxidation, any time you induce oxygen into the solution after fermentation has started. Oxidation will become more detectable the longer it sits.
 
landshark said:
Stirring can add oxygen into the wort (now beer as it has alcohol present) and skunk it...

Stirring/oxygen has nothing to do with skunking. Skunking is a result of hop compounds being molecularly rearranged when exposed to light. Ironically, this phenomenon has been shown the be lessened by the presence of oxygen!

Your advice though about not introducing oxygen post-fermentation is on point. Oxidation will accelerate staling and can cause some severe off-flavors.
 
sry my browser wouldnt refresh properly earlier disregard that^ thanks for the info guys ill keep you posted
 
Stirring/oxygen has nothing to do with skunking. Skunking is a result of hop compounds being molecularly rearranged when exposed to light. Ironically, this phenomenon has been shown the be lessened by the presence of oxygen!

Ahh. I knew it did something to screw things up :mug:
 
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