Extremely slow fermentation

[StophJS]

I pitched the yeast into this 5 gallon batch of cider last Saturday. I added a little over 3 lb of honey and took an OG reading of 1.064, which I think was fairly accurate. After 5 days now of fermenting at 60 degree ambiant my cider is still sitting above 1.05. I'm using US-05. I'm not sure if it's the carbonation from fermentation but the hydrometer initially sits at 1.05 but then actually rises to closer to 1.06 again. Does anyone know why this would be going so slowly? I've done the same thing in the past and I could bottle after 6 days or so with a gravity of 1.02 or lower.

Edit: After swishing the hydrometer around and knocking some of the co2 out of the cider it comes down to 1.04. I've read multiple times that carbonation shouldn't affect a hydrometer reading that much, but that sure doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[boist]

Just to clarify something: Do you mean that you are reading 1.005, 1.006 and 1.004 (respectively) or are you saying that your hydrometer reading went up by 10 points after fermentation and then down 20 after shaking the CO2 out?

 

[StophJS]

Yes it started at 1.05, then seemed to be pushed up by the carbonation to 1.06, but when I shook the Co2 out of the sample it finally rested at 1.04. So I suppose if I can assume it's legitimately at 1.04 it's not going as slowly as I originally thought. Still much slower than say a beer would ferment with this yeast though from my experience.

 

[smallkiller]

I'm fermenting a 1 gallon test batch of 1 gallon cranberry juice and 1 lbs turbinado and daaaaaaaamn is it slow! Seems to be moving right along though, if it doesn't stop then it must be fine.

 

[StophJS]

I'm fermenting a 1 gallon test batch of 1 gallon cranberry juice and 1 lbs turbinado and daaaaaaaamn is it slow! Seems to be moving right along though, if it doesn't stop then it must be fine.

Yeah I know I posted too hastily. I'm sure it's fine, it's just going so much slower than last time I'm a little weirded out by it. Something about that really sugary juice I guess?

 

[Ben34]

What is the best way to peridically take cider out for testing without introducing too much oxygen?

 

[brandonhagen1]

other people have had the same problem with uso5 lately

 

[StophJS]

What is the best way to peridically take cider out for testing without introducing too much oxygen?

You really don't need to worry about introducing oxygen unless you're sloshing the liquid around a bunch for some reason when you're drawing your sample. A turkey baster or a wine thief or even a ladle are totally fine. As far as popping the top on the fermenter, it's not an issue.