15 gallon cider fermentation

[fekoljabut]

Sg was 1.049. Started fermentation 16 days ago and it's still going...bubbles every 10 sec. I'm wondering how long it takes 15 gallon to ferment. Temperature is 50 F. Also, how do you take readings? I mean... If everything is closed, how do you take a sample?

 

[Gitmoe]

50 is really cold for a cider fermentation. At that temp your fermentation could take weeks or months to be honest. You can open the fermentor to take samples as needed. There's no reason to keep it totally sealed all the time.

 

[jflongo]

Do you have a spout? If not, then take a wine thief or something similar, sanitize it, open the lid, pull a sample out and take a hydrometer reading.

Also, my 5.5 gallon batch I did awhile back, I let go for 20 days in primary, I ferment mine in the 60's. What yeast did you use, 50 maybe bit a little low depending on the yeast.

Once it starts bubbling only once a minute or two, then you could rack it into secondary or bottle. But definitely do hydrometer readings if you own one. If you don't you may want to buy one.

 

[jsDC]

How much yeast did you pitch? Did you use nutrient?

 

[Randzor]

If its still fermenting, get a suction tub(turkey baser. Also don't forget to sanitize) and suck out a sample as needed. If it is done fermenting then that becomes more risky as you'll slowly lose your layer of CO2 as time goes on. At the temp your fermenting at, it will take a good while. Not sure about 15 gallons, but I have a 6 gallon batch going that has had a rigorous fermentation going on 2 weeks at 50-65.(yes its under the stairs in an unheated section, but when we run a fireplace the heat hits that area.) This is champagne yeast, with a final abv at 10%.

 

[fekoljabut]

Ok...so...I took out a sample and it reads 1.009 Tasted it and it has a great sweet apple taste, which is surprising for this gravity ( i was expecting more alcoholic taste). I'm fermenting at 50 because my basement is not heated and outside is 28...and i was reading somewhere that fermentation at lower temperatures leaves most of the apple aroma. Yeast is normal white wine yeast ( you cannot buy beer yeast here...i would need to order it from ebay)

 

[fekoljabut]

How much yeast did you pitch? Did you use nutrient?

Didn't use nutrient. I did a starter per packaging instruction for 60 liter (about 15 gal).

 

[rocketsan]

What are you fermenting in?

 

[jflongo]

Ok...so...I took out a sample and it reads 1.009 Tasted it and it has a great sweet apple taste, which is surprising for this gravity ( i was expecting more alcoholic taste). I'm fermenting at 50 because my basement is not heated and outside is 28...and i was reading somewhere that fermentation at lower temperatures leaves most of the apple aroma. Yeast is normal white wine yeast ( you cannot buy beer yeast here...i would need to order it from ebay)

Both times I have made cider, one with wine yeast, one with cider yeast. They both fermented from around 1.079 -> 1.000. So I would think you should let yours go longer. Take another sample 2 days from now and see if it is still 1.009. If it's lower, then it's not done yet.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

I find that nutrients Is a key component of every cider that I do. In your next batch I would recommend it. As for this batch I would recommend letting it continue to ferment until dryness. It is always tempting to tinker with a batch, but since you're fermentation seems strong I wouldn't do it for this one.

 

[fekoljabut]

Both times I have made cider, one with wine yeast, one with cider yeast. They both fermented from around 1.079 -> 1.000. So I would think you should let yours go longer. Take another sample 2 days from now and see if it is still 1.009. If it's lower, then it's not done yet.

It's still bubbling every 14 sec. So i will wait until it stops.

 

[fekoljabut]

What are you fermenting in?

In a 60 liter plastic barrel that is made for fruit fermentation.

 

[fekoljabut]

I never used nutrients (mainly because you cannot buy any here). Never had problems... and this year i made around 50 liters, but in a small 10 liter barrels... I wanted to try a little bit larger scale this time. To have something to drink when fermenting beer

 

[732Brewer]

Guys, beginner question here, what is the ideal starting Sg, Sg when your ready for the first rack, and final Sg before bottling (for cider)?

 

[Newsman]

I find that nutrients Is a key component of every cider that I do. In your next batch I would recommend it. As for this batch I would recommend letting it continue to ferment until dryness. It is always tempting to tinker with a batch, but since you're fermentation seems strong I wouldn't do it for this one.

Just out of curiosity, why not add nutrient now?

 

[Newsman]

Guys, beginner question here, what is the ideal starting Sg, Sg when your ready for the first rack, and final Sg before bottling (for cider)?

Starting gravity -- depends on if you add any extra sugars or not. I just started one based on a recipe here... IIRC (and I could easily be mis-remembering) I think the starting gravity was like 1.040 or something, then we added like 2# of corn sugar to bump it up to something like 1.060. Don't rack until the fermentation has completed. Maybe even a week after, to give the yeasties time to clean up after themselves (they're messy eaters! ) then rack to secondary for any post-fermentation additions, to give the cider time to clear, etc or bottle if you aren't adding anything.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Just out of curiosity, why not add nutrient now?

I would not add nutrients now because he is into the fermentation and does not appear to have a yeast that is struggling. They are merely sluggish because of the low fermentation temperature. Adding nutrients now could cause an explosion of yeast that would take a long time to clear out of the brew.

 

[732Brewer]

I have my first two runs of cider going now. My first is 2 weeks into fermentation and my second is a few days. My first run is very yellow but should I be able to see thru it? I was expecting the cider to be a little transparent by now. The first run had no added sugar, 3 gallons of cider, and a pack of champagne yeast.

 

[Randzor]

732 it usually takes my brew about 4 weeks to get to a clarity with a 5 gallon batch... hope that helps.

 

[Newsman]

I would not add nutrients now because he is into the fermentation and does not appear to have a yeast that is struggling. They are merely sluggish because of the low fermentation temperature. Adding nutrients now could cause an explosion of yeast that would take a long time to clear out of the brew.

Thanks for the info. I'm somewhat new to brewing... at least in number of brews. Been playing with it for a couple years, but only done about 4 or 5 brews.

 

[fekoljabut]

Finally, 3 days ago, fermentation stopped. Fg is 1.001. Racked it last night and took a sample to taste, and it was tottaly without sugar and sour. Put stevia tablets dissolved in water and boiled with some cinnamon sticks and cloves, cooled and mixed with cider. Sweetnes is ok now, but it's sour (not vinegary, just sour). Now, it will stay in secondary for 1 month and then I will add sugar for carbing to all, and then bottle it. I hope the sour taste will dissappear over time...

 

[WilliamSlayer]

It should definitely 'mellow' with time.

 

[jflongo]

Yep, sample it again 1 month from now, and see how it is

 

[fekoljabut]

It cleared perfectly! Beautifull yellow color, clear, great taste with little bit of cinnamon and cloves and the most important thing, much less sour than before 15 more days till bottling. Does it mellow in bottles when carbed?

 

[WilliamSlayer]

It cleared perfectly! Beautifull yellow color, clear, great taste with little bit of cinnamon and cloves and the most important thing, much less sour than before 15 more days till bottling. Does it mellow in bottles when carbed?

Yes however, the carbonation does add a bit of of bite so you might get the sense that it hasn't mellowed.