Fermenting through Potassium Sorbate?

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jarret111

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I bought some fresh cider from a local orchard and didn’t realize it had preservatives. I called the orchard and they said it’s less than 1% potassium sorbate and there’s just enough in there to keep the cider good but not overkill. Do you think I can ferment it still or should I not bother and cut my losses?
 
If you pitch enough yeast you can probably ferment it but not well. How much cider? Perhaps you can start some filtered apple juice fermenting with lots of nutrients and lots of oxygen, then add your cider at the peak of fermentation? If I recall correctly, K-sorbate doesn't kill yeast, it prevents it from multiplying.

It might be better to just drink it and enjoy it for what it is. Do you have any way to force carbonate it? (CO2 tank, carbonator cap) Highly carbonated sweet apple juice is quite good.
 
edit: ^^^^^^^^^^

yes you can ferment it if you pitch enough yeast to it, the sorbate just keeps the yeast from multiplying?
 
Potassium sorbate won't stop an active ferment but will stop it from starting up again. Perhaps if you got some non-preserved juice, pitched the yeast in it, and when at full krausen added it to the bulk of your juice, it might work. "Less than 1%" doesn't really sound unsurmountable.
 
Perhaps you can start some filtered apple juice fermenting with lots of nutrients and lots of oxygen, then add your cider at the peak of fermentation? If I recall correctly, K-sorbate doesn't kill yeast, it prevents it from multiplying.
This.
 
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