Cider Fermentation

[Seanzo]

Hey all,

So I am doing 3 batches of cider - 1 71B wine yeast, 1 Saison and 1 Nottingham Ale. I started them last fall and they have been in the basement at around 10 degrees C all winter. They are all still showing activity (though slight) but they haven't moved any in gravity for the last couple months. Right now the 71B is the driest at around 1.010, Saison and Nottingham are both around 1.028. Most of my experience is with wine yeasts, so I'm worried about bottling at these gravities. Could the yeast have been killed off so I might not have a re-ferment if I bottle now? Or should I do a bottle from each batch and leave it in a sealed bucket to see if they explode once they are at room temp for a week or so? Or my other option is to warm them up and re-inoculate. Thoughts?

 

[brownni5]

Which Saison yeast? 1.028 seems really high for just about any Saison strain, unless your OG was mid 1.100s. 1.010 seems high for champagne yeast too.

I don't make a lot of ciders so I can't offer much more. But if you're happy with them, you could add Campden tablets (or the like) and package that way.

 

[Seanzo]

It was Lallemand Belle Saison that I used. OG wasn't that high - I think around 1.055 maybe. Yeah definitely the coldest ferment I've done - usually the 71B gets down to 1.000 or less. I know beer yeasts don't ferment as dry though so I wasn't sure if there is the same risk for bottle re-fermentation as with wine.

 

[dmtaylor]

Cider is not beer. Saison yeast isn't necessarily great at fermenting fruit juice.

Warm it all up, add just a touch (like 1-2 grams per 5 gallons) of fresh yeast to each batch, let it sit a few more weeks, and see if it takes off again. If it doesn't, you're good to bottle.

 

[brownni5]

I've made cider with Belle - it doesn't care that it's not beer. The one batch I made with it started around 1.045 and finished at or near 1.000.