Cheap try at cider

[Kristopher]

I ended up dumping it, I was also suspecting it may have been the cinnamon. I checked label on juice, it did not label anything about preservatives.
I just tried it again, this time without the cinnamon sticks. If I decide I want cinnamon I may add it in the secondary. I'll find out in morning if fermentation starts.

 

[BeeDeeEff]

I ended up dumping it, I was also suspecting it may have been the cinnamon. I checked label on juice, it did not label anything about preservatives.
I just tried it again, this time without the cinnamon sticks. If I decide I want cinnamon I may add it in the secondary. I'll find out in morning if fermentation starts.

My first toe in the water was using apple juice, and I've tried several variations on it too, adding sliced up apples to the ferment and such.

Always turns out watery and bland, with very little to no apple character...though if you're looking for something cheap with a decent base mouthfeel to make different alchoholic teas...it is a good choice. Dry hopping that kind of cider can be pretty good.

 

[Kristopher]

So I tried again, without the cinnamon. Apple juice, some dextrose and wine yeast. Same result, did not ferment. Could the container stop fermentation? It was about a 1 gallon plastic container from the dollar store, the type used to put a box of cereal in.
Needless to say it was dumped.
I now have about 3 litres of Apple cider with only wine yeast added, fermenting great for about 5 days now in a glass jug.
I still have cinnamon on the brain. Would adding it to the secondary work?
Any other suggestion?

 

[Paps]

I still have cinnamon on the brain. Would adding it to the secondary work?

Yes, if using STICK FORM

Any other suggestion?

YEAST NUTRIENT

 

[Maylar]

So I tried again, without the cinnamon. Apple juice, some dextrose and wine yeast. Same result, did not ferment. Could the container stop fermentation? It was about a 1 gallon plastic container from the dollar store, the type used to put a box of cereal in.

I think it's highly unlikely that the fermenter container had anything to do with it. Something else in your process is amiss. Yeast, temperature, rehydration protocol if any, how much sugar. Tell us more about your recipe and methods.

 

[Kristopher]

Sanitized container and added 3 litres of Apple juice.
I then added about a cup of corn sugar.
I warmed about 2 cups of water to 40 degrees Celsius and stirred in yeast and left it for about 15 mins.
After stirring up juice and sugar I added the yeast and put cover on.
I left it for about 3 days and nothing.
Room temp was around 16-17 degrees Celsius, maybe 4-5 degrees higher when wood stove was on which is in the next room.
The only thing I can figure is the juice was too cold when I pitched the yeast. It was on the basement floor for a couple days prior to using.
Would the juice being too cold when I pitched the yeast result in it not taking off?

 

[z-bob]

I don't see any real problems. 40°C is a little on the warm side, and 17°C is a bit cool, but neither should kill the yeast. Maybe try using 1/2 cup of 30°C water to rehydrate the yeast? So it's less of a shock when you pour it in.

Put a pinch of sugar in the yeast-water next time to make sure it bubbles.

 

[Kristopher]

Thanks.
For the batch I have on now, which is about 3 litres of store bought cider, I intend to moe it to a secondary and add a couple cinnamon sticks. I will let it sit for a week or two then bottle. I will prime with prob 9-10 table spoons of sugar. Any other suggestions?

 

[Maylar]

Sanitized container and added 3 litres of Apple juice.
I then added about a cup of corn sugar.
I warmed about 2 cups of water to 40 degrees Celsius and stirred in yeast and left it for about 15 mins.
After stirring up juice and sugar I added the yeast and put cover on.
I left it for about 3 days and nothing.
Room temp was around 16-17 degrees Celsius, maybe 4-5 degrees higher when wood stove was on which is in the next room.
The only thing I can figure is the juice was too cold when I pitched the yeast. It was on the basement floor for a couple days prior to using.
Would the juice being too cold when I pitched the yeast result in it not taking off?

If the temperature difference between the yeast and juice was more than 10 degrees you could have killed them.

 

[Kristopher]

Update. Should have only used about half a cinnamon stick or none. I used 2. The taste is overpowering.
Also I didn't test it but alcohol content seems low.

 

[Crohnnie]

I used too much cinnamon and my friends didn't like it but I couldn't really tell. I love those spices