cmarshall1087
Well-Known Member
So I'm a noob. Never brewed a damn thing. Last christmas, I was given a hard cider kit; and I just made it.
I used 1 gallon of motts apple juice, poured it into a sanitized 1gal glass carboy, and pitched the yeast (expired). This occurred on 10/26.
I moved it to my boiler room, w/ a 3 piece airlock and I've left it there, checking every two days. Never saw any fermentation so I figured it was a bust. There was a tiny layer of bubbles up top, and a layer of sediment on the bottom.
I called my LBHS earlier and the rep told me to try taking a hydrometer reading, so tonight I grabbed the carboy and brought it upstairs. I unplugged the stopper to smell it, re stopped it, and now BOOM, this SOB just took off. I can def smell alcohol in it, and I'm watching my airlock go. Nothing fast; maybe a bubble every 45-60 seconds. There is tons of small bubbles rolling up the carboy towards the top.
Can someone tell me what is happening? I've gone from thinking it was trashed, to thinking I might have a chance. I have no clue how it will taste, but I figure I'll do what I can to save it.
TIA
I used 1 gallon of motts apple juice, poured it into a sanitized 1gal glass carboy, and pitched the yeast (expired). This occurred on 10/26.
I moved it to my boiler room, w/ a 3 piece airlock and I've left it there, checking every two days. Never saw any fermentation so I figured it was a bust. There was a tiny layer of bubbles up top, and a layer of sediment on the bottom.
I called my LBHS earlier and the rep told me to try taking a hydrometer reading, so tonight I grabbed the carboy and brought it upstairs. I unplugged the stopper to smell it, re stopped it, and now BOOM, this SOB just took off. I can def smell alcohol in it, and I'm watching my airlock go. Nothing fast; maybe a bubble every 45-60 seconds. There is tons of small bubbles rolling up the carboy towards the top.
Can someone tell me what is happening? I've gone from thinking it was trashed, to thinking I might have a chance. I have no clue how it will taste, but I figure I'll do what I can to save it.
TIA
