Airlock bubbling as a measure of primary fermentation??

[SirPublius]

I'm new to cider-making. I've had three separate gallons fermenting for about a week now. I've heard that most fermentation should be done in a bout a week. I ALSO heard that when your bubbles in the airlock slow to a rate of about one a minute, most fermentation should be done. Oh, I don't have a hydrometer BTW. So, mine are bubbling away. One is releasing ever 20 seconds, the other two about ever 12 seconds....been doing that at that rate for at least 4-5 days. Is the rate of bubbling a decent measure to gauge fermentation?? They don't show any sign of slowing is why I ask. I also ask because I read somewhere that even when fermentation is pretty much done, that it may still bubble quite a bit as the yeast eats stuff OTHER than sugar. Think I should leave it till the bubbling slows quite a bit, or since its been a week, should I rack it?? Hmm.

 

[Homercidal]

First, the big question is are you fermenting in a bucket or in a carboy? Carboys tend to be MUCH better at creating a good seal, so they can be fairly good at displaying some information regarding fermenation. Buckets have a much higher leak rate, which makes them (IMO) almost useless for this.

If you are using carboys, I'd wait until the bubbling is pretty much completely stopped. I'll just come right out and say it, You really ought to get a hydrometer. They are pretty cheap and very handy. But anyway you don't have one now, so it is what it is. You'll have to guess at the gravity.

Bubbling is a not a perfect indicator of gravity or fermentaiton activity, even in a carboy, for a couple of reasons:

1) Even if initial fermentation is complete, there may be dissolved CO2 residing in the cider, which can be released by disturbance, change in temperature or barometric pressure.

2) A change in temperature can have a direct influence on the density of the cider, regardless of the dissolved CO2. This is equal to a change in volume, which can influence whether an airlock will bubble.

Now #2 is a much less cause of concern because the amount of bubbling is extremely small, but a very new or inexperienced brewer might see any bubbling as an indicator of fermentation, when it might actually be well over.

Back to your question. I would advise waiting until all indications of primary fermentation is stopped. It might still bubble now and again for a couple of days after fermentation is complete, just giving off excess CO2, but the couple of days won't hurt either.

Then gently rack into secondary and degas, trying to leave as little headspace as possible, and degassing just before replacing the airlock, so you purge the headspace with the released CO2.

 

[Randzor]

What Yeast are you using and what are you fermenting in as Homer mentioned. If in a carboy I'd wait 2 weeks then either do a taste test(should be dry if you have not added anything) or wait until the cider clears. Usually if it is clear and the air lock is bubbling once every few minutes, then your good to bottle.

 

[SirPublius]

I'm using one gallon carboys. I have three different gallons going, all with different yeasts. One of them is a Nottingham ale yeast, one is a champagne yeast, and the other is a wine yeast that the guy said would make a more moderate dry cider, not as dry as the champagne one. I don't have the exact types in front of me though. They have been going a week, and are bubbling away pretty quickly still, every 10-15 seconds, and they are not yet clear, though when I started them I DID add some pectic enzyme. So it sounds like maybe I should keep them put for now. I just didn't want to leave them too long, because I THOUGHT that it would only take 5-7 days, but it seems like it is taking longer.

 

[Randzor]

I know nothing about the Nottingham sadly, but on the champagne and wine yeast, my guess is that your fermentation can be so strong, that you over-saturate your cider, and it may seem like its still fermenting but can be CO2 escaping. If in doubt wait(biggest rule and hardest one to learn). By 2 weeks the wine yeasts should be done if there were no hiccups. I've only used pectic enzyme on fruit, so not sure what happens on just juice, but I always felt it was hard to get those wines to crystal clear.

On the waiting part, seriously if something tastes bad, don't give it away(lets face it our nonbrewing friends generally will say anything you make is good), put it in your crawl space or someplace out of site, write it off and come back in a few months. I had a cranberry cider that was crap for the first 40 or so bottles of it, then with about 20 to go it got really really really good.(like I found my self pounding it down, and I'm typically a slow drinker.) ahh were did those 40 go i'm not sure, and I do know my bottle situation is shorter than it was, so I'm thinking I gave a few to many away.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Randzor has the meat of it. If in doubt.... .... wait. I typically set a reminder into my smart phone for two weeks after pitch. Your brew will be fine sitting on the yeast (who are busy doing their thing) for 3-4 weeks with no ill effects.

Good luck!