Nottinghams in cider 30 hours no airlock activity?

My first brew of any sort, I read up quite a bit and figured a cider would be easiest prep work wise. after sanitation I got 5 gal of pasturized apple juice and added 2 lbs dextrose pitched nottinghams. didnt seem like anythign went wrong but 30 hours later still nothing in the airlock.

at first it seemed to be going down in pressure but thats stopped. its ~30 hours later shouldnt i be seeing something by now? I'm paranoid i wasted my first brew.

The temperature in the basement is 60-68 degrees so that should be a sweetspot fermentation wise right?

 

The juice didn't include 'potassium sorbate' or any other preservative, did it?

 

Look for a krausen. Take a gravity reading. No airlock activity doesn't guarantee lack of fermentation.

 

no, the juice was just apples water and vitamin C, its currently in a bucket fermenter it wont hurt it by removing the co2 in the headspace to check for krausen?

 

You won't hurt anything by taking a peek. Cold cider is sometimes a slow start for activity, especially if you pitched dry yeast instead of a starter. You may want to bring it inside for a day to warm up and get the yeast going, then move it back to cool down. Cider does benefit from a cool, slow fermentation. Additionally, the addition of sugar to a sweet juice may have created a slightly high OG that is also slowing the yeast.

 

ok, when i get home i'll open it up and take a peek. I was planning on getting a hydrometer for my first beer brew but i might have to get one earlier than i thought. I followed one of the recipes with the dextrose from the cider forums that seemed to be pretty popular.

 

It might be finished. Cider doesn't form a krausen, because there is very little protein in it. Lack of airlock activity is never an indication.

I agree that you should take a gravity.

 

david_42 has a good point: Your cider may not have a 'krausen' since it's from processed juice and not sweet cider. You could also grab a taste.

still & sweet = possible problem
bubbly & yeasty = okay
dry = alcohol

Although I wouldn't bet on it being finished fermenting after only 30 hours at cool temps.

 

yea the recipe i grabbed said it was approximately a 2 week ferment, then bottle to keep the sweetness.

 

at 30 hours it isn't "done"...relax you are probably fine. Cider seems to roll into fermentation slowly...the krausen never seems to form all that thick for me.

At 30 hours I would simply double check your seals. Make sure your bucket lid is firmly in place. Double check the airlock....and look at the rubber grommet in the hole...if the airlock is pushed in too far....the rubber can separate and allow an easier path for pressure to escape.

Just yesterday I went through the same process. I pitched a large Pacman starter on a mid gravity wort....after 30 hours there was no visible airlock activity. The lid was firmly sealed...but the airlock was pushed in too far....causing a small gap in the rubber grommet. I pulled the airlock out a touch...and the airlock started bubbling like a jackhammer.

 

hmm, the lady at the LHBS gave me a rubber stopper for the bucket lid that i thought was too big, i wonder if its too big and not letting the airlock do its thing. I might play around with it tonight and see if i can get it bubbling and worst case scenario i have another lid from northern brewer i can swap out that i know works.