Kirkland brand Apple juice

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WilliamSlayer

WilliamSlayer

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Has anyone ever had problems with this apple juice? Stuck fermentation? Preservatives?

The reason I ask is that I am 3 days after pitching yeast and have had no air lock activity. The bottle of juice simply says the ingredients are: apple juice.

Obligatory preempttive answers to questions:

Batch size - 6 gal.
Yeast - BRY-97 (1 pkt)
Yeast nutrient - 2 tsp
Chaptalised with 3lbs lt. brown sugar
SG - 1.068
Fermentation temperature - High 50s to mid 60s.
 
I used it for three small batches recently and didn't encounter an issue. I used S-04 on one (cider) and D-47 on the others (cysers). Did you rehydrate the yeast?
 
I just bought 2 gallons yesterday to mix with a gallon of Walmart apple juice I already had for a 3 gallon batch. I sure hope the stuff works! I didn't see anything on the label about preservatives.

I'm gonna pitch with Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast.
 
High 50°s to mid 60°s might be a little chilly for BRY-97.

warm it up a little & give the FV a little swirl

would also check the expiration date

never used it before, but a little research is showing BRY-97 might be a slow starter.
 
Gravity today is the same as pitch day - 1.068

Cant do much about the temp.... its 13 degrees outside. ....
 
Did not re-hydrate the yeast and I THOUGHT it was a good pack, but I've had it in the back of the fridge for a year.
 
I use Kirkland Apple Juice for every batch of cider I make now... It will ferment no problems. It is pasteurized - no preservative - and not from concentrate. Good stuff. I've used Kirkland, Treetop (not from concentrate) Martinelli's and San Jose Organic. Kirkland wins.

Just let it ride and have fait in your yeast, in 4-6 weeks you will have some awesome nectar. I need to keg tonight 1 batch with EC-1118 @ the 6week mark, (finished in 4 weeks; first time using this yeast) and another with S-04 @ the 6week mark, all @ 58-62º slow and steady. Be patient and you will not be disappointed.
 
GrogNerd said:
would also check the expiration date
Click to expand...

WilliamSlayer said:
Did not re-hydrate the yeast and I THOUGHT it was a good pack, but I've had it in the back of the fridge for a year.
Click to expand...

I had some WL cider yeast sitting in my fridge for a while, pitched it into some cheap Wally World juice and it did take a day or two for it to show any ferment activity, but it's going now. this one is eventually going to be vinegar

WilliamSlayer said:
Gravity today is the same as pitch day - 1.068
Click to expand...

3 days and no change in gravity, I'd say that yeast is toast.
 
Sigh. My thought too. I pitched a few packets of Lalvin 1116 in today, but realised they were just about as old as the BRY-97!
A - where does the time go?

B - must Brew more....

;-)
 
WilliamSlayer said:
Sigh. My thought too. I pitched a few packets of Lalvin 1116 in today, but realised they were just about as old as the BRY-97!
A - where does the time go?

B - must Brew more....

;-)
Click to expand...

This is 1 reason you rehydrate the yeast. Even year old yeast should still be viable, I've used dry yeast that was a year past its' expiration date & it worked just fine. Give it a good stir & warm it up a few degrees. Should take off.
Regards, GF.
 
Temp depends on the strain of yeast but mid to low 60s seems to be good and three to four weeks works for me
 
I have a cider that is bubbling away! Gave it both a good stir, and pitched the packets of wine yeast that I was talking about. Bubbling away nicely at around 60 degrees. Hope the stall at the beginning does not have any negative consequences! Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Wally world has one gallon house brand jugs of apple juice for less than three dollars right now. I bought four. I use a combination of jugged juice, FAJC, and I now make all my ciders with Red Star Pasteur Red yeast, not the champagne yeast. It is very temperature tolerant, I just let it sit in the corner of the living room until fermentation is finished. I have been on an applejack kick lately, so I am making different flavored very hard ciders. This yeast will tolerate 18% ABV, and starting with a one gallon,18% solution before freezing, makes 1/2 gallon of some high proof stuff. If you do try making applejack, I suggest you put it somewhere dark, and forget about it for 5 or 6 months. A while back I found a bottle of some 11 month old a/j, and it was amazing!
 
Are you sure those are 1 gallons at Walmart, and not 3 quarts or 3 liters?

I started a batch Saturday. 1.5 gallons of Walmart apple juice and 1 gallon of Kirkland in a 3 gallon carboy, with Premier Cuvee yeast. (the Kirkland tasted better when I sampled them, but that might be my imagination.) Twelve hours later it had foamed up quite a bit, but has settled down now; it is still bubbling rapidly but no more foam. Tomorrow I'll add another 1/2 gallon of the Kirkland juice to fill it up.
 
WilliamSlayer said:
Batch size - 6 gal.
Yeast - BRY-97 (1 pkt)
Yeast nutrient - 2 tsp
Chaptalised with 3lbs lt. brown sugar
SG - 1.068
Fermentation temperature - High 50s to mid 60s.
Click to expand...

BRY-97 takes a while to get up and go.... I use the Nottingham more frequently for this and other reasons...
 
MindenMan said:
Wally world has one gallon house brand jugs of apple juice for less than three dollars right now. I bought four. I use a combination of jugged juice, FAJC, and I now make all my ciders with Red Star Pasteur Red yeast, not the champagne yeast. It is very temperature tolerant, I just let it sit in the corner of the living room until fermentation is finished. I have been on an applejack kick lately, so I am making different flavored very hard ciders. This yeast will tolerate 18% ABV, and starting with a one gallon,18% solution before freezing, makes 1/2 gallon of some high proof stuff. If you do try making applejack, I suggest you put it somewhere dark, and forget about it for 5 or 6 months. A while back I found a bottle of some 11 month old a/j, and it was amazing!
Click to expand...

By any chance would it be this juice? http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-100-Apple-Juice-96-oz/10415325

I am getting ready to dive into Apfelwein for the 1st time, and I was considering this one because it's the cheapest, but I'm not sure if it matters if the juice is from concentrate.
 
Actually, that is an even better deal than 1 gallon for $2.97. It is $0.30 or so cheaper by the gallon. Unless you are using a really esoteric (read expensive) mix of apples in your soon to be apfelwine, almost any juice that doesn't contain anything other than juice and vitamin C will do the job. It took me a few tries to get the desired result I wanted out of my extra hard cider. Use the less expensive stuff to get your process down, and then spend the money on the the top shelf stuff if that is what you want to use. Yooper is the queen of apfelwine in my opinion, and she is able to blend her own mix of apples for her apfelwine. If I ever make it to the UP, I want to tip a few with her if she will allow me. :mug:

Oh, and if all else fails, add a little FAJC to sweeten and freeze into applejack. If you haven't tried it, it is worth the cost of a gallon of juice and a couple of cans of FAJC.
A little residual sweetness before freezing, in my experience anyway, produces a much smoother drinking a/j. If you are planning to age some a/j, make one bottle w/o added sweetness, and one bottle with, and wait two or three months. I can almost guarantee you you will notice a big difference in flavor and mouth feel. It probably works along the same line of thinking as a mead; bottle it sweet and let it age.
 
I have always used Kirkland without problems. I do experiment with my recipes so the activity in the bubbler does vary. Constant brewing temps are my best weapon.
Good luck
 
Here are my notes for this batch. Starting another 'no spice batch' today!

2/20/15 Spiced Cider

6 gal. Kirkland brand apple juice
3 lbs. Light brown sugar
1 tsp yeast nutrient.
1 pack BRY-97

Spice mixture:
5 oz vodka
3/4 Tbs. Ground nutmeg
3/4 Tbs. Ground cloves
1/2 Tbs. Ground cinnamon

2/23/15
Three days. No airlock activity. Opened and stirred. Pitched two old packets of K1- V1116. Hydrometer tested STILL @ 1.068.

2/25/15
Fermentation off and running!

3/14/15
Racked to secondary and added spices.

3/28/15
Racked to a 5gal. Carboy. Bottled the rest. Tasted "good" but not alot of apple taste. Spices are not 'hot'. Added Kmeta (campden tabs) and Sorbate.

4/10/15
Bottled with 5 cans of Old Orchard apple juice concentrate. Approximately 30 oz of sugar for the 5gal. Amazing taste. Added 2 more campden tabs and another tsp of sorbate.

4/20/15
Great taste. No carbination. Spices backed up by a 'bright' apple taste. I want try this recipe with out the spices.
 
WilliamSlayer said:
Has anyone ever had problems with this apple juice? Stuck fermentation? Preservatives?

The reason I ask is that I am 3 days after pitching yeast and have had no air lock activity. The bottle of juice simply says the ingredients are: apple juice.

Obligatory preempttive answers to questions:

Batch size - 6 gal.
Yeast - BRY-97 (1 pkt)
Yeast nutrient - 2 tsp
Chaptalised with 3lbs lt. brown sugar
SG - 1.068
Fermentation temperature - High 50s to mid 60s.
Click to expand...
I’ve made several successful batches of cider with this brand. It has worked well for me
 

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