sleepylight
Member
I probably should have asked for help before jumping in, but I appear to made 5 gallons of undrinkable vinegary smelling cider. I took the advice from one of the sticky threads in this forum and went with 5 gallons of preservative-free pasteurized cider plus nottingham yeast. I let the mix ferment in a sealed bucket I normally use for beer for 2 weeks while I was out of town. Upon returning I popped it open and racked into a carboy to let it clarify.
After cracking the lid some problems became apparent. First this absolutely reeks of vinegar. To the point where I can't get past the smell to try and take a sip. Second, I think I blew way past the alcohol content I was looking for. I started at 1.05 and ended at 0.9 or 0.85, which I believe to be about 20%.
So, I figure I can solve the ABV issue by keeping an eye on it and racking earlier, but I don't know why everything got sour. I would greatly appreciate any advice, and I'm happy to add details if I left something out.
Thanks!
After cracking the lid some problems became apparent. First this absolutely reeks of vinegar. To the point where I can't get past the smell to try and take a sip. Second, I think I blew way past the alcohol content I was looking for. I started at 1.05 and ended at 0.9 or 0.85, which I believe to be about 20%.
So, I figure I can solve the ABV issue by keeping an eye on it and racking earlier, but I don't know why everything got sour. I would greatly appreciate any advice, and I'm happy to add details if I left something out.
Thanks!