Am I just being impatient?

[Wovensummers]

Last Sunday, I started 5 gal of home pressed cider. I added 5 Camden tablets (which my LHBS has since told me is 3 tablets too many) and waited til Tuesday to pitch Safcider yeast along with 1.5 tsp nutrient. At first I would get a bubble in the airlock every 6 to 8 minutes. (68° F OG 1.042) After no change, Thursday, I added another packet of Safcider. Friday, still nothing. A check in with LHBS told me too many Camden was used and I should airate and move to a warmer room. Went home, used a drill bit stir stick for 6+ min and put in my furnace room overnight. That raised the temp to 72°. Still nothing in the airlock Saturday morning. Airated for 6+ min again left in furnace room for another 6 hours. Still nothing. Is something wrong or am I just overly anxious?


Update- when I went to take this pic, I could see tiny bubbles moving up the glass, but still nothing from the airlock. Maybe it is fine.

 

[Lefou]

If you see bubbles like this you are most likely getting yeast activity. Hopefully your airlock has no cracks and has a good seal on the carboy.
The headspace on the carboy is small and your must is above the shoulder. If the yeast gets more active the airlock will be chugging away...but you really won't see a yeast cap or "krausen" on your liquid as you might a beer wort. A cider fermentation is more or less a fizz than a foam.

 

[Wovensummers]

Update* I'm now getting a bubble about every 1min 20 sec.

 

[MarkKF]

Why was 5 tablets too many for 5 gallons? We're they a different size?

 

[Wovensummers]

Why was 5 tablets too many for 5 gallons? We're they a different size?

Owner of LHBS said he never recommends more than 2 for five gallons. He said personally he doesn't use any. He gave no reason other than that many tablets retard the yeast too much. I believe they are normal size tabkets..about the size of an asprin.

 

[Horseflesh]

The only way to be sure you have fermentation is to take a gravity reading. I'd look for a deal on a refractometer. Then, you just need to get a couple drops out of the carboy to do a test. The number in the refractometer won't be accurate, but it will let you see if gravity is dropping or not.

Airlock bubbles are not reliable. Right now I am fermenting a brew I know well in a bucket that I don't know well... I see no bubbles at all when I know there must be activity. My other fermenter must seal better, it's the only explanation.

 

[Drewed]

Did you crush up the tablets, or just chuck them in? Crushed will dissolve faster and become yeast "safe" sooner.
I wouldn't worry about using the camden. The amount of yeast pitched should overcome any wild that may be in there. Unless you pressed windfall apples and let the juice sit around for awhile before pitching

 

[Wovensummers]

Did you crush up the tablets, or just chuck them in? Crushed will dissolve faster and become yeast "safe" sooner.
I wouldn't worry about using the camden. The amount of yeast pitched should overcome any wild that may be in there. Unless you pressed windfall apples and let the juice sit around for awhile before pitching

I did crush them up.

I am happy to report, I am now getting one bubble about every 5 seconds in both of my batches (one with campden and one without). The one without, smells like yeast when it bubbles, the one with the campden smells like sulfur. Will this smell go away? Do I need to rack to a secondary to make it go away or just wait the 30ish days?

I plan to check SG on Wednesday.

 

[MarkKF]

I use the powder not the tablets. Because the juice is sooo cold when I get it I use 1/4 tsp. per carboy for the 24-48 hrs before the juice comes up to temp. I use a yeast starter with 1/4-1/2 gal. of juice because that comes up to temp. sooner.

 

[Drewed]

DO NOT RACK!!! (yet)

You have just built up a large enough yeast colony to start fermenting. Racking it now will be bad. Give it a swirl or two to help de-gas the sulfer smell.

 

[ExperimentalBrewer]

yeast nutrients might help with the sulfur smell. Be Careful when adding it, it may cause the diet coke and mentos experience.