Pitched 2 days ago. Time to worry?

[MtnGoatJoe]

I juiced almost a gallon of apples a week ago and topped it off with some store-bought juice (100% natural, no added preservatives, just juice).

I added 1/8th of a teaspoon of potassium metabisulfite.

4 days later, I pitched my yeast, S-05. I only used about a third of the packet, so I'm thinking maybe I didn't add enough, or that it just needs more time.

Any thoughts? Do I just need to give it some more time? There seems to be some very small bubbles at the top, but they don't look like they've changed in the last 24 hours.

I did just give it a little stir. Maybe that will help?

Any thoughts?

 

[timeasterday]

I just started my first batch of cider over the weekend and it took nearly 36 hours to show any signs of activity. I used 71B-1122 yeast. At 48 hours (last night) it was bubbling a little faster, about one "burp" from the 3-pc airlock every 8 seconds. This morning it's about 1 burp every second. Give it a little more time and hopefully it will start to take off.

 

[Drewed]

Two days is too soon to worry, especially with only "about a third" of the packet. You really can't over pitch yeast. I use a full pack for one or two gallon batches. Anything bigger and I make a starter.

 

[MtnGoatJoe]

Ok, thanks. I did prep the yeast according to the homebrew store's instructions: boil some water, wait until it is a certain temp (84 I think), sprinkle yeast on top, wait half an hour, slowly stir over the next 20 minutes, pore into juice.

I do have the environment chilled to about 65 to 67 degrees, so maybe that's keeping things from happening quickly.

I would have used a full packet, but I've got another batch I'm going to start in a couple weeks, and I'm cheap and didn't want to pay more money.

At what point should I worry?

Thanks!

 

[stamasd]

Hm, if the OG of your juice was low it may take the little buggers some time to get started. But in my experience with various yeasts and growing conditions, if you don't see anything at all tomorrow it's time to start worrying.

 

[CKuhns]

Did you record or check the starting Gravity? If you did then check it again and if dropping then you are OK. If not and are concerned then check it now and then again in a few days. If not dropping then increase temp a few degrees aerate / mix it well wait a few days to see what it does. If still no - go then restart your remaining yeast and re-pitch.

 

[MtnGoatJoe]

OG was 1.046 when I pitched.

I haven't checked the gravity again, but I will in another couple of days.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Scrumpy!]

Yeast need oxygen in their first growth phase. Be sure you have stirred the yeast in well and for the first day or so you can give the new ferment a good stir now and then. You will get a quicker and more reliable start at 75 deg. Once you are sure fermentation is underway (unmistakable) get the temp down to the minimum the yeast is rated for. Once the turbulent phase is over, rack to carboys and reduce headspace to the barest minimum. Rapid fermentation is your enemy. All those floral aromas in the fresh apples get blown out the airlock if you just let it rip. Keep your fermentation cool and reduce the stress on your yeast to avoid sulfur aroma and preserve as much apple flavor as possible.

You will get better sulfite control by making a stock solution instead of pouring dry metabisulfite into your juice. The idea is to kill the bacteria in fresh juice without crippling your yeast. Using a teaspoon instead of a scale can lead to under or over sulfiting your juice. Refer to C. Joulicour's book, The New Cider Makers Handbook for a better understanding of this.

 

[MtnGoatJoe]

Thanks, Scrumpy!

I added the rest of the yeast yesterday afternoon and let it sit out overnight. There was a nice head of foam this morning, so I stuck it in the closet (65-68 degrees).

I also picked up 4 gallons of fresh pressed cider yesterday (Sunday). I was supposed to pick it up on Friday, but I wasn't in a hurry because it's pasteurized, right? WRONG!

The wild yeast was just getting started. I split it into two 2-gallon buckets, and added potassium metabisulfite to one, and pitched the other with S-04. I feel like I'm taking a chance by not killing the wild yeast, but that's what the guy at the HBS said to do.

I thought using the buckets would be a good way to go, but now I'm wondering how I take gravity readings with those lids (they're really hard to remove.

 

[Scrumpy!]

Sulfite will not kill commercial yeast and probably won't kill the wild yeast either. The wild yeast can take up to one year to ferment your juice. The commercial yeast can rip through all the sugar in a few weeks or even less if the temp is high enough. If you have the patience to do a wild ferment you will find your cider will taste far different than your batch fermented with commercial yeast.

 

[acetylcholine]

I'm in the same boat as MtnGoatJoe. My 4 gallons of cider is sitting with zero airlock activity or krausen after about a week. I pitched dehydrated 71B onto 4 gallons after 24 hrs of campden tablets. The jugs were from a local orchard and they say pasteurized.

I thought I was good to go, because 3/4 gal of the same cider is fermenting with some brown sugar and S-04 right now.

What the heck is going on with my big batch?

Side note, if this doesn't take off, is it safe to drink as is?

 

[CKuhns]

The only way to know what is going on with your large batch is to check the gravity and taste it. 71B can rip through a cider pretty quickly and could be done after a week. Airlock activity although can be an indication. It is not very reliable.

 

[Scrumpy!]

Hi acetylcholine,

You said that you pitched dehydrated yeast. Do you mean you literally stirred it into your juice? If so, get another packet, read the instructions on how to properly hydrate it before pitching it.

If you yeast was hydrated as specified on the package, you may have added enough sulfite (campden tablets) to inhibit the yeast.

The initial phase of yeast growth requires oxygen and benefits from temperatures above 70 deg. Aeration and warmth will get it off to a strong start. Once it is underway, cool it off to 60 degs or even as low as 50 deg to slow it down and preserve some of the more flavorful volatiles that would otherwise get blown out the fermentation lock during the turbulent phase of yeast growth.

Last year, I pitched 71B into several 5 gal batches and they all got off to a strong start within 24 hours with a thick foam cap by day 3. It took 80 days at 60 deg to go from 1.065 to 1.008 (green line on graph).

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=418190&stc=1&d=1508767566

 

[acetylcholine]

My phone autocorrected rehydrated to dehydrated. I followed the directions on the yeast pkg. It's currently sitting in a 68 degree basement on the floor. I aerated by shaking before I pitched.

I'm noticing a tiny amount of airlock activity finally. She might be awake.

I love those graphs! Did you make those or is that like a brew bug? 80 days?! Wow.

 

[Scrumpy!]

Good to hear that failure to follow instructions is not the problem. On this forum, you can never be sure since there are so many newcomers to the craft.

When I have a delayed start, my first instinct is to increase the temperature (put the bucket next to my furnace) and agitate with a paint stirrer on my drill. This has never failed me.

I start my ferments in plastic buckets with a fermentation lock. These are not as tight as an airlock on a carboy so sometimes things get going but due to the huge headspace and less than perfect seal, the fermentation lock does not bubble at first. I inspect the surface daily to spot film yeast early but also to evaluate the surface for signs of a healthy startup.

I think the graph is a modification of Claude Jolicoeur's spreadsheet which I can't seem to find on the web anymore. He has an example in his book so now that I think of it, maybe I made it myself based on one of the figures in his book. I've been using it long enough so I can't be sure. Anyway, I can send you a copy if you send me a message on this forum.

Eighty days or more is typical for my ferments because I do the long cool thing. I usually don't start drinking my cider until a year after harvest. When you have as much cider in stock as I do, there is no rush to add to the cellar. According to the experts (Andrew Lea and Claude Jolicouer) time is one of the major ingredients in good cider.

 

[acetylcholine]

So my 4 gallon batch made with cider from a local orchard started fermenting 2 days ago. I have no idea if its wild yeast or the 71B that I pitched. I guess we'll find out soon enough. I had krausen for about 12 hours, but its 100% gone now. Its got a lot of airlock activity, which is nice because its my first ferment in the Fermonster, so its good to know the bung and airlock are seated well.