help: jet fuel like flavor - OG 1.060, 27days FG1.001, Nottingham yeast

[kapribadi]

Hello once again,
This is my second batch of cider. You guys were very helpful with my first batch of cider that started off wrong.

Well, I have a different problem this time and I'm hoping that some of you experienced guys can help me out again.

Ok, so I started a 6 gal batch (UV pasteurized, did NOT add campden tablets) with Nottingham yeast. I put in about 1 lb of corn sugar and 3 lb of table sugar to bring up the OG. OG at time of pitching yeast was 1.060.

Fast forward 27 days later (today) it was still bubbling. I had not measured the SG since I started fermentation. I was so busy with other stuff... Anyhow, I finally found time and measure the SG, it was 1.001. So I guess it fermented out for the most part?

I tasted it and it tasted like JET FUEL or something else kind of unpalatable. very little apple flavor, strong alcohol taste I think. It definitely does not taste like vinegar. No bitterness to it..

What should I do?

For now I racked my cider to a secondary fermenter.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Krishna

 

[kapribadi]

some photos for your indulgence

 

[LeBreton]

Without knowing what your finished goal is here are A few ideas for you to consider:

1 - Backsweeten with an unfermentable sugar. (not gonna bring back apple flavor)
2 - Bottle as is and wait for your cider to mature and mellow out. (could take a year)
3 - Backsweeten with AJ concentrate or more juice, bottle, then pasteurize/cold crash. (more work, results in a carbonated cider)
4 - Backsweeten with AJ concentrate beyond tolerance of yeast. (Results in still cider).
5 - Finish as is, and just make a lot of hot mulled cider for the holidays. Cover crappy taste with cinnamon and cloves.

 

[kapribadi]

LeBreton:
Good point. I failed to mention my goals. They are semi-sweet, about 1.012, sparkling.

Last batch I made, fermented from 1.061 (1.5 lb cane sugar + 1 lb brown sugar), fermented to a 1.006. I then added a can of Cascadian Farms organic concentrate frozen AJ. That brought the SG to 1.012 and I was happy. 5 days later the carbonation was great. Pasteurized from there. I was very pleased with these results.

So for the Nottingham yeast, sweetened with cane and corn sugar, what shall I add? 2 cans of frozen AJ? Or 1 can AJ and some sugar to bring up SG to 1.012? Maybe I can try on a 1 gal batch and see how the flavor goes...

 

[LeBreton]

I've never used nottingham yeast personally, but CvilleKevin mentioned in his sticky thread that if it gets all the way dry it tends to strip away the flavor of the cider. That would lead me to personally use AJ cans alone in an attempt to restore an apple character.

However, trying a few different sweeteners could be quite the learning experience . . .

 

[LeBreton]

Forgot to add, your pics are making me thirsty! :cross:

 

[Jacob_Marley]

Rocket fuel ... Mmmmmmm

... engine gimbal is now under way ... T minus 15 seconds, T minus 10 seconds, we have main engine starts ...

 

[kapribadi]

I wish it were JP8... or U4, that would be nice

 

[Rockape66]

By the lack of clarity and signs of active fermentation; I would say your cider is nowhere near done yet. Let it ride! Mine usually clear up in around 4 weeks. Then I rack to a carboy, and watch for sedimentation. Once it is clear I backsweeten w/stevia, and prime w/local honey. 5 gal: I draw off about 2 cups of cider, heat to about 150F, and dissolve in 3/4 cups of honey. 1 to 1.5 tblsp of stevia per quart. Good cider!

 

[GinKings]

I'd guess your OG was higher than 1.060. Maybe the sugar wasn't completely dissolved when you checked OG.

You added 4 lbs of sugar, which should have raised the gravity by 30 points. 4 lbs x 45 points per lb divided by 6 gallons = 30. I'm hoping your cider didn't start at 1.030. Most cider I've seen is in the 1.044 - 1.052 range. That would put your OG around 1.078. You fermented to 1.001, which is around 10% ABV. I believe that's pushing the limits of Notty, so the gravity may not drop any further.

 

[kapribadi]

I'd guess your OG was higher than 1.060. Maybe the sugar wasn't completely dissolved when you checked OG.

You added 4 lbs of sugar, which should have raised the gravity by 30 points. 4 lbs x 45 points per lb divided by 6 gallons = 30. I'm hoping your cider didn't start at 1.030. Most cider I've seen is in the 1.044 - 1.052 range. That would put your OG around 1.078. You fermented to 1.001, which is around 10% ABV. I believe that's pushing the limits of Notty, so the gravity may not drop any further.

GinKings: I was affraid of the sugar not dissolving... The SG of the fresh cider was 1.047. My calculations estimated that 4 lb of sugar should have brought it up to 1.070...

So if it is indeed at 10% and the nottingham yeast is topped out. What should I do? Let it sit or back sweeten and bottle?

 

[GinKings]

I would rack to another carboy and let it sit. It needs to clarify. I would taste it agin after it clarifies and backsweeten to taste at that point.

 

[hroth521]

GinKings: I was affraid of the sugar not dissolving... The SG of the fresh cider was 1.047. My calculations estimated that 4 lb of sugar should have brought it up to 1.070...

So if it is indeed at 10% and the nottingham yeast is topped out. What should I do? Let it sit or back sweeten and bottle?

Rack it to a carboy, top it off and leave it alone until next year.

 

[kapribadi]

hroth521, with what shall i top it off?

 

[selfdestructed]

When this happened to me, I added juice concentrate to flavor and prime, after I cold crashed it. Bottle it, make sure you have a coke bottle full to know when it's carbed, pasterize and let it sit in bottles for a month or so, and drink it. It's not this complicated.

 

[AndrewTodd]

hroth521, with what shall i top it off?

apple juice, apple juice concentrate or more cider.

 

[hroth521]

hroth521, with what shall i top it off?

Ideally some pasteurized preservative free juice. I am drinking my notty fermented cider from last year now. My only regret is that I drank too much too soon. Each month after the first couple just got better and better. I carbed them all, back sweetened some. They developed depth, complexity and great mouth- feel at about 10 months to a year. I think if you want cider quickly, graf is the way to go.

 

[kappclark]

Had similar 'problem' 1 year ago...rocket fuel after 2 months..

I am now drinking an acceptable cider that I was ready to throw out... did not backsweeten...this time, I may with the next 10G. I did not use Nottingham, but WL English Cider Yeast..

Don't know which is better - fermenting to a specific gravity then stopping the ferment, or going all the way and backsweetening...