No Fermentation: Need More Yeast?

[RCCOLA]

I bought a couple of different brands/gallons of cloudy juice and pitched 2g of cote de blancs yeast in each. One is fermenting well and the other(different brand) won't start.

The yeast is from the same sachet, so I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the stabilizers added to one of the gallons--sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.

Would pitching more yeast start this gallon or does it have too much stabilizer added?

 

[oxpajama]

You could try adding a hardy yeast, KV 1116 for example. Are preservatives listed? With success I have gotten a stuck cyser going by adding half gal of juice pitched with 1116 that was at peak ferm. Do you use nutrient or DAP?

 

[Yooper]

I don't think any fermentation will start with benzoate, but sometimes sorbate can be overcome. It would take a huge yeast starter, and then adding a bit of the cider to it as long as it kept going, until eventually all of the cider was in the starter.

 

[ICWiener]

If it's benzoate, it's not going anywhere. Get yourself another gallon and go for it again.

 

[RCCOLA]

I don't think any fermentation will start with benzoate, but sometimes sorbate can be overcome. It would take a huge yeast starter, and then adding a bit of the cider to it as long as it kept going, until eventually all of the cider was in the starter.

If it's benzoate, it's not going anywhere. Get yourself another gallon and go for it again.

Thanks guys. I've had good luck(and flavor) with the brand that did start for me.
The brand that didn't start is one that I had seen fermenting in the store a couple of years ago. They probably got slammed on a bunch of returns and decided to "nuke it from orbit--just to be sure" with the benzoate.

 

[RCCOLA]

Just for the lulz I pitched the sorbated batch on top of the yeast from the other batch after it finished. It's been fermenting slowly for a week now and is still going. I don't drink much apple juice so I figured what the heck--give er a go.

I'll report how she turns out. No high hopes though.

 

[RCCOLA]

Following up on this one. I put it in the fridge a few months ago. Fermented 2 more gallons in the mean time and blended/kegged all yesterday.

The sorbated batch finished up delicious. Very tart with residual sweetness. It tasted like biting into a Granny Smith apple. I didn't bother with a FG reading but I'm sure it finished with some sugar leftover.

Im pleasantly surprised with the results, figure it'll blend well with the other 2 batches which finished up dry. Carbing it now.