Potassium sorbate

the cider i picked up has Potassium sorbate in it is this ok to use

Probably not. The only preservative that' s OK is ascorbic acid (Vitamin C.)

If you are going to use it, Make a yeast starter and pitch actively fermenting yeast into it.

Potassium sorbate will not stop a fermentation, only prevent one from starting.

Barry

I've only once been able to get fermentation going in a juice that had sorbate. It'll probably go bad before it would ferment.

save yourself the headache and find some w/o sorbate

seein as how i have waisted my money and wanted to try it out for kicks

can i leave it in the milk jug it came in
add sugars
pitch yeast
add airlock
and see what happens?

I want you all to know that i do agree with you and respect your advice and i am in touch with my local apple orchard to get fresh pressed juice from them, just want to play with it.

Not that cider isn't drinkable as a non alcoholic beverage though... just drink it.

roofman70 said:

seein as how i have waisted my money and wanted to try it out for kicks

can i leave it in the milk jug it came in
add sugars
pitch yeast
add airlock
and see what happens?

I want you all to know that i do agree with you and respect your advice and i am in touch with my local apple orchard to get fresh pressed juice from them, just want to play with it.

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I would still like to know what others think about this

i put this all together at 2 this afternoon and it seems to be forming a head but no airlock activity, is this normal.

The toppings contain potassium sorbate...

...that's bad.

the orchard called and i'll be picking up my cider tommorow morning,
thanks agian i'll more than likley start new thread tommorow.

CHEERS!

Evan! said:

The toppings contain potassium sorbate...

...that's bad.

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If it starts to ferment what could be bad about that

roofman70 said:

If it starts to ferment what could be bad about that

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sorry...my bad...it was a Simpsons joke that I assumed most people would get...

A spoof on Gremlins. Homer buys a cursed doll and gets a free frogurt with it:

Owner: Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse!
Homer: [worried] Ooooh, that's bad.
Owner: But it comes with a free Frogurt!
Homer: [relieved] That's good.
Owner: The Frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: [worried] That's bad.
Owner: But you get your choice of topping!
Homer: [relieved] That's good.
Owner: The toppings contains Potassium Benzoate.
Homer: [stares]
Owner: That's bad.

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Other than that I have nothing useful to add...except that I'd find unpasteurized cider with no additives if at all possible.

so are you telling me it would get me sick

im now getting airlock activity about 1 per minn.

roofman70 said:

so are you telling me it would get me sick

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?? Huh? I didn't say anything about getting sick. Just that the best cider in the world is unpasteurized with no additives. The worst that'd happen with potassium-sorbate-ified cider is fermentation wouldn't start. If you get sick, it's got nothing to do with the p. sorbate or the yeast.

so i have got luck on my side and all is well??

I just made a batch from five gallons of K-sorbated cider, (mistakenly purchased). It may be a function of how much sorbate was in the cider, but I had no problems. I used champagne yeast, and got it started in a cup of juice before pitching. took two days to see any airlock activity, but fermentation was complete in under two weeks. Tastes great, and no issues that I saw... other than the two days worrying whether or not I wasted 5 gallons of juice.

I mistakenly purchased 3 gallons of K-sorbated cider too, pitched a packet of Nottingham, waited 2 days and no fermentation, made a starter with apple juice and more yeast, pitched that yesterday am and nothing yet. there is just a very mere starting of froth on the top of the cider.
I'm at an impasse with this batch...

You might have something going there but I wouldn't count on it. I ended up pitching 5 gallons of Sorbated cider myself this fall. It seemed like such a great idea at the farm stand. lol

i ended up pitching yeast nutrient and it took off that day

ill be bottling next weekend after it clears

i'll have to add nutrient to my list of things to pick up tomorrow.

Melana said:

i'll have to add nutrient to my list of things to pick up tomorrow.

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you have a list?