Cider Fermentation slow or stuck?

[Matigi]

Hi Guys,

I'm relatively new to brewing. I'm in the process of making a 5 Gal of cider. I used canned apple juice with no preservatives, and added about 8 lbs of brown sugar. I had an OG of 1.070.

I pitched a pack of Safe ale S-05 about 3 weeks ago. There has been fast and steady bubbling for the 1st 2 weeks. and its beginning to slow to about 1 bubble every 10 seconds or so.

I took a gravity reading today, and it's currently at 1.065. The temperature has been steady around 64-66.

I'm just wondering it this is ok, i was expecting a lower gravity reading by now. It tastes good, still very sweet, but no off flavors.

Should I be concerned? Maybe increase the temperature a bit?

I'm planning on cold crashing it at 1.010 and racking it to a keg for forced carbonation, if the gravity ever gets that low!

 

[Randzor]

I'm your temp might be lowish, which would cause the slowness. Also make sure on your reading that you don't have bubbles attached to the hydrometer...

 

[caseymac91]

+1 bubbles are probably lifting the hydrometer up. Last time I used S-05 it went from 1.06 to 1.02 in under a week. From there it finished very slow. If it's really fermenting that slow i'd pitch another tsp of yeast. I use yeast nutrient, that might speed it up.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

Hi Guys,
I'm just wondering it this is ok, ...

1.070 to 1.065 is not ok. Your description of "fast and steady bubbling" for a couple weeks should have produced more alcohol by this point. That change in SG translates to about 0.6% ABV (that is, just slightly above one half of a percent)... whereas an OG of 1.070 fermenting-out is about 9.5% ABV.

Taste the cider ... does it taste pretty much just like apple juice still with no taste of alcohol? ... if so you may have had something going on other than alcoholic fermentation such as bacterial activity, MLF etc.

If you re-check your gravity reading, and you are certain of reading the hydrometer properly ... and you are certain your reading is not affected by carbonation ... You'll need to add yeast nutrient.

Cider is not brewing. Safale is intended for the nutrition in wort. Using it for winemaking (which is what cider is) is different. Apple juice has relatively little nutrient content.

 

[Matigi]

Just to follow up, I increased the temperature of the cider to 72 degrees, for the last week, and have seen increases bubbling activity. The gravity today was 1.052. So I think i'm beginning to make some progress. I think it makes sense to add some yeast nutrient. i'll do that today. and see how fermentation improves.

I feel like some oxygen through stone before i pitched would have helped. I oxygenated a 5 gal batch of Irish red ale, last week, and it was done fermenting in 4 days.

Overall the cider is tasting pretty good. still very sweet, but a great flavor. I think i might toss in a few cinnamon sticks.