4 gal. fresh cider started (newbe)

[mandy]

hello

i just started 4 gal. fresh unpasteurized cider all i did was add champaign yeast.
i have it fermenting in a food grade 10 gal staneless steel container. the container is sealed tight.

is there anything else i need to do and what is your guess as to when it will be ready to drink. im wanting to drink it around holloween 20-25 do you think ot will be ready by then?

 

[cinderbike]

Sealed tight? Do you have a way for the CO2 to escape?

 

[mandy]

yes i bought one an air lock

 

[oldmate]

As long as the CO2 can escape, you're all good. My guess is you didn't buy a hydrometer? If you did, tell us the OG that you took and we'll be able to help you out more! I would leave it in the fermenter for at least two weeks.

 

[mandy]

im going to pick one up today is there anything else i would need? i only need the basic things required to make a good batch. also the yeast i used was red star pasteur champagne 5g

thanks

 

[mandy]

i will be leavin in the next hour what all do i need to get at the brewer shop
i need a quick reply

 

[JamesM]

I did pretty much the same thing about 4 weeks ago in a glass carboy. I'm waiting for it to clear before bottling but its really not getting all that clear. I don't want to let it sit on the yeast more than another week or so and I don't have the fridge for a cold crash. What do you all think?

 

[oldmate]

Both of you should consider buying some pectic enzyme.

 

[JamesM]

I thought you had to add that from the beginning. How do you add it?

 

[mandy]

Both of you should consider buying some pectic enzyme.

whats it for anyway?

 

[naeco]

You add pectin enzyme 24 hours before pitching your yeast. the amount to be used is 1/2 a teaspoon per gallon but you can't really over do it so it's no big deal if you put more. Pectin enzyme will make sure your cider does not remain cloudy. It won't affect the taste and a clear or cloudy cider taste exactly the same so it's just a question of look ... I like my cider very clear so I use it all the time.

Here are the steps:

You get your cider
If it fresh pressed and not pasteurized, add 1 crushed campden tablet per gallon.
add pectin enzyme
You can also add bentonite at this stage if you want to make sure it will be very clear.

Wait 24 hours.

Take a gravity reading and adjust sugar to desired alcool level,
Pitch you yeast
Wait 3 weeks to 1 month until all sugar are gone.
Rack to secondary and wait till it clears before drinking or bottling.
At this point, you can also play around with the taste with non fermentable sugar before bottle priming or still drinking.

I like this site for easy information on cider making:

http://www.makinghardcider.com/

Good luck,

Naeco

 

[JamesM]

thanks for the tips. I think I missed the boat on pectin for this time around though since I'm about 4 weeks into fermentation. Its clearing but not clear yet. I took a taste test last night. It was tarter than I expected and tasted pretty good, but there was a distinct fart smell.

Could this have been from the campden tablets I used?

How long till this smell will go away?

 

[JamesM]

Anybody?? I've got smelly cider here!!

 

[naeco]

the fart smell usually comes from the CO2 from the yeast activity and will go away when fermentation is over with. If fermentation has stopped and you cider still smells like a fart, it is possible that you have a bacteria infection but it usually also affect the taste so I don't think you should worry at this point.

 

[pimento]

the fart smell usually comes from the CO2 from the yeast activity and will go away when fermentation is over with. If fermentation has stopped and you cider still smells like a fart, it is possible that you have a bacteria infection but it usually also affect the taste so I don't think you should worry at this point.

Actually, no. The smell does not come from co2, co2 has no smell.

A sulphury smell usually means stressed yeast, probably not enough nitrogen. Some yeasts are more prone to this than others.

Adding some yeast nutrient before fermentation can help.

The smell itself usually dissipates with time.

Also, bacterial infection unlikely, the smell is pretty common in ciders.

 

[naeco]

I stand corrected !

Adding some yeast nutrient before fermentation can help.

I can help the smell but their is no danger in a bad smell coming out of your airlock right ? Even if I use nutrient, the co2 coming out of the airlock always smells pretty awful !