Cranberry juice cocktail attempt not going as expected

[Beavdowg]

I wanted to whip up a cranberry "cider" for a friend but only had 2 weeks to get it done. I figured apple juice ferments out pretty quick, within just a few days so the cranberry juice should too. I picked up Cranberry juice coctail from Costco, their Kirkland brand, which only has juice, water sugar and ascorbic acid. No preservatives listed. I started with an OG of 1.045, added dry Danstar, and placed in my fermentation chamber set at 68*F. After 2-3 days of literally NO activity or foam or anything I turned up the temp to 69*, then 70*. I checked it yesterday after seeing some foam at the top and the gravity was only 1.040. Not much going on. It tasted more or less like regular, room temperature cranberry juice. Why is this not fermenting like apple cider? I didn't re-hydrate the yeast out of laziness but I've pitched dry yeast into apple juice in the past and it's worked fine. Now, the yeast packet I used had been sitting in the garage for a couple months but was still well within the use by date printed on the packet.

Anyone know what's going on with my cranberry juice experiment? Should I pitch another packet of re-hydrated yeast?

Cheers!

 

[Maylar]

Maybe too much acid?

 

[m_c_zero]

Maybe too much acid?

It does clear out UTIs, maybe the yeast couldn't handle it. I have heard of people making cranberry wine though. Not sure if it is maybe just regular wine with cranberries added to it though...

 

[Maylar]

Innerweb says unsweetened cranberry juice is about pH of 2.4. That may be low for ale yeast to handle.

 

[Aristotelian]

Did you oxygenate it?

 

[Beavdowg]

I shook the heck out of the carbon for a couple minutes.

 

[bucketnative]

Maybe add some yeast nutrient? That might be needed in this case, otherwise you might just have to be very patient with it. Two weeks is an awful short period for fermenting a cider, even with nutrients added.

 

[SomersetRedstreak]

Beavdowg,
Check out my thread entitled 'cider made with lager yeast'.
I've just posted with regard to a gallon of cider I made with approx. 1 quarter cranberry juice. I was really pleased with the outcome.

Sorry, my thread is entitled 'cider using lager yeast'.
Also, I appreciate that you've used all cranberry, but I used a juice with very similar ingredients to yours for my apple/cranberry cider. Thought it may be of interest.