First cider try

[BradTheGeek]

Put down two gallons of cider (in a 5 gallon carboy, talk about headroom!), fresh from the orchard Sunday night. Added a bit of brown sugar, hit a gravity of 1.054 (after heating to ~170-180 for 45 minutes).

Cooled, pitched Danstar BRY-97. There was about 24 hours of lag before I saw any signs of fermentation. Now 48 hours in, there is a bit of foam on the top, but it still seems slowish to me. Maybe I am impatient, but is there a point where you would get worried about fermentation speed?


I have it at 65F right now, and I guess the main reason I want it faster (besides stuck fermentation and infection), is I want to get it out of my fermentation chamber and into secondaries (2 1gal carboys) so I can boil up my wee heavy and get it in there.

 

[thadass]

With BRY-97, you still should be pretty good at 65F.

Did you add any yeast nutrient? I'm not sure if it'd be a little slower without it but I do know it's common for ciders as they lack some of the nutrients provided to the yeast from grains.

I'd just make sure you're not taking it off the yeast too early. Even if you're putting it in a cooler place later with the yeast cake for a while, that'd be better than racking too early.

Patience!

 

[BradTheGeek]

I needn't have worried. This morning there was a little more activity, and I could smell the fermentation when I opened the chamber. When I got home from work there was a good inch of trub! That stuff took off like a rocket!

 

[BradTheGeek]

A new question. BRY-97 does not have attenuation percentage published, but says moderate to high. Lets assume 70%. Not having done cider (or that much beer), my understanding is that cider is almost completely fermentable as opposed to wort. That said, with an OG of 1.051, if I take this to completely dry (which I intend, as I plan to back sweeten), what do you think my FG should be? I am 1.011 today and still have incredible activity in the fermenter (actually fermenters as I racked it out of my 5 gallon today to make room).


A second question, I have the carboys in my ferm chamber at ~65-66 degrees F. I plan a brew day tomorrow and need the chamber. Since this has been fermenting for nearly a week, would it be okay to take them out? Air temps should stay around 70-72. Do I risk off flavors at those temps since the fermentation is still very active?
Any input is welcome.

 

[Bobbybob]

I have three 4 gallon batches of ciders aging right now. They started at 1.056 and finished at .997 and .998 you are going to want to wait. It is alright to leave cider on its lees for a couple of weeks after fermentation finishes. I think that is when you get a mellowing of tartness.

As to your second question I have never noticed off flavors in my cider from higher temps. However I am speaking from 10 or so batches of experience, so maybe my pallet is not sensitive enough.