Halting Fermentation at Specific S.G.

[jguy898]

I've been making mead for a while and I love cider so I thought I would give that a go.

I used Martinelli's 100% Pure apple juice and Safale s-04 ale yeast. I didn't rehydrate the yeast (first time ever not re-hydrating), I just pitched it into the cider at around 65 - 70 degrees with some DAP, Fermaid-K and a few grams of potassium carbonate. (the P.H. was a little lower than I would of thought, the carbonate is to raise it just slightly.) I pitched everything last night at around 10 o'clock and I'm just now starting to see activity, BTW I have it in a chamber at 64 degrees. The yeast is not rehydrated in anything warm because I want it start out and continue, hopefully, to ferment a little slower than what is norm because I am going to try and catch it right at 1.022 - 21 and drop the thermostat down to 32 degrees and cease the fermentation. After most of it has dropped clear I will then rack it to secondary (while still cold) and add the Sorbate and Sulfite to stabilize it and continue to check the S.G. for a while and then bottle condition it once it has cleared.

I just want to check to see what others thought about using this technique. Also, I know you can 'Cold Stabilize' but I do not know how long this takes, anyone know? A week, two weeks?

Thanks!
Jonas

 

[Insomniac]

That sound like exactly what I did with my Cyser, it's not finished yet, it did seem to stop fermenting though!

 

[dinnerstick]

i think it will work, but sweet jesus that's sweet!

 

[oldmate]

It would be interesting if that works. My yeast doesn't stop fermenting, even in the fridge.

 

[sashurlow]

The only problem is that you will have a still cider, not a bubbly cider. Unless you have a keg...

 

[jguy898]

The only problem is that you will have a still cider, not a bubbly cider. Unless you have a keg...

I do have a keg, and that is the idea. This whole experiment is to have a bottled carbonated sweet cider that will be perfectly clear, and without any sediment. You can over-carbonate slightly in a keg and then using a gentle valve and tube (or a racking cane) you can fill the bottles to 1/4 - 1/8 inch of the top and cap, I've seen it done with soda so I'm going to try it with a cider.

 

[jguy898]

I've never used an Ale yeast before, is Safale s-04 a 'Top Feeding' yeast?

 

[lowdown]

"BTW I have it in a chamber at 64 degrees."

I'm curious as to what you mean by chamber? I've looked for ways to control the temperature of my cider and am wondering if you were able to buy a temp controlled chamber for that? If so do you mind telling me where you found one?

 

[ryane]

why not ferment to dryness and then add in some additional juice to sweeten it??

 

[Insomniac]

I didnt think s-04 was top fermenting but I wasn't realy paying attention when I did mine... It did however try to jump out the airlock.

 

[jguy898]

"BTW I have it in a chamber at 64 degrees."

I'm curious as to what you mean by chamber? I've looked for ways to control the temperature of my cider and am wondering if you were able to buy a temp controlled chamber for that? If so do you mind telling me where you found one?

My 'Chamber' is a Black and Decker 5.3 Cubic Foot chest freezer with a Johnson Control's Refrigerator Thermostat, here. The B&D freezer is the Only one I could find that fit both a Wide 6.5 gallon fermenting bucket and a 5 gallon Glass carboy.

why not ferment to dryness and then add in some additional juice to sweeten it??

I like to do things as naturally as I can and if I stop the ferment right there that will also give me the ABV that I want.

I didnt think s-04 was top fermenting but I wasn't realy paying attention when I did mine... It did however try to jump out the airlock.

A few of my yeasts also jumped ship.

all the yeast is still floating on top, fermenting happily away. It has the consistency of yellow 'birthday' cake, just a little soggy, sure is weird to sit and watch the whole mass bubble through like swamp muck.



Also I have achieved Proof of Concept in attempting to cease the ferment through lowering the temperature. I had the lid of the freezer propped open just slightly through the first half of the ferment for ventilation and closed the lid half-way through. When I closed the lid the must temperature dropped to 63 degrees and the whole thing COMPLETELY stopped. Total Failure to ferment. I raised the temperature of the must up to 70 degrees and and added a little Energizer to it, stirred, and it resumed fermentation. I have decided that I would like to stop the ferment at 1.014 instead of 1.020, it was at 1.018 yesterday so it should be finished by this evening. Oh so excited.