Need Some Help Salvaging Cider?

[mastfalk]

I need some help & direction on a batch of cider.

I'm new to cider making. I noticed some other threads with cider infections and read them, I just would like to know the proper steps to take to possibly salvage my cider.

I'm in the second month of secondary fermentation. In all three small carboys I've noticed a white powder on top of my cider. I used pasteurized apple juice and cider from a local organic farm. I did add pectin enzyme, but again - did not add any sulfites.

Can I salvage this? I have not tasted it and it is still sealed up from when I racked it. What steps can I take to fix this? Re-rack it and add sulfites? Not sure exactly what to do here?

 

[Maylar]

Show us a picture if you can. It may be normal or it may be something nasty.

 

[mastfalk]

Show us a picture if you can. It may be normal or it may be something nasty.

I'm sorry. I attached pictures before. Here they are:

 

[Maylar]

Ick. Thanks for the reminder - I need to add sulfite next racking.

But yeah, I'd rack that and sulfite it. The small jug (1/2 gallon?) has way too much headspace but I'm surprised the other 2 have anything growing in them. Once you rack from under the icky you won't have much over 2 gallons so either get creative and find an appropriate jar for the extra, or rack it to a mason jar and drink some cider.

Bummer tho.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi mastfalk - and welcome. Very much agree with Maylar. Cider - will have an ABV of what? 5%? and will not be very acidic so this is a fairly welcoming environment for all kinds of bacteria and mold. You have an enormous amount of headroom so that welcome is doubled. You always want to age any wine (or cider) in a carboy so that the liquid is inside the neck and you have a tiny amount of space between the surface of the liquid and the bottom of the bung. With any larger surface area you might as well remove the bung for all the protection it will give you. That is not a vacuum in there and if the yeast is not actively producing CO2 the space is filled with bacteria laden air.

 

[Tommy13]

I've bottled 20 litres of cider but taste to acidy how can I get it back