Does cider krausen stick around longer than beer?

[beertroll]

I have a 1.070 preservative-free cider pitched with Danstar Windsor that still has a pretty thick krausen after about 12 days or so. Ambient temperature has been a pretty steady 59 degrees. With beer, I don't bother taking a reading until the krausen has fallen. Does cider foam typically stick around for a while, or is my fermentation likely just moving slowly because of the temperature? I'm in no hurry to get it out of the carboy, but it's my first cider so I'm a little eager for a taste test.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

In my experience, it's usually gone in less than a week. I have one fermenting at 58ºF right now and it still has a little krausen on day 4. I've never tried using the Winsor ale yeast in a cider though.

 

[beertroll]

I just pulled a sample, and it's reading at 1.028. Looks like those yeasties are still chomping away. In retrospect, I think I probably should have used some nutrient. My recipe was 3 gallons of apple juice, 3 cans of apple juice concentrate, a pound of dark brown sugar, 8 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, half a nutmeg (grated), and one packet of Windsor. Would I go wrong adding a little yeast energizer?

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

It seems to be moving along. (albeit slowly) Personally, I don't use energizer, but its possible it could help finish off the fermentation quicker if you want. I'm thinking it might just be that particular strain of yeast. What temps are you fermenting at?

EDIT...sorry just reread your 1st post...59º. Thats a great temp if you can hold it. Just let it slowly chug along.

 

[454k30]

The ciders I have made always seem to take longer than beers to do all the typical beer things (krausen falling, finishing, carbing, etc.)

 

[BadgerBrigade]

I have had Krausen in my carboy for weeks.... I think your good bro.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

I usually have spit bubble patches in there for long periods of time, but full, thick krausen? I've never had that last longer than week. How thick of a krausen are you guys experiencing for weeks on end? 3-4 inches?

 

[beertroll]

I rarely get a krausen that big, unless my ambient temps get up into the 70s. I have about an inch and a half on my current batch of cider. My pale ale (w/ US-05) has maybe 3/4" of foam on it 4 days in.

 

[Kashue]

I just finished a blackberry cider that used Windsor. It did indeed make tons of krausen, so it may be the yeast.

My impression was that the end result was a bit drier than it would have been with Nottingham, but blackberry ferments out REAL dry so it's hard to say. All in all I see no reason NOT to use Windsor, but nothing to recommend it over Nottingham. Krausen should be no problem either way.