Holy Crap. Agressive Fermentation

[RukusDM]

I started a new cider last night. 5 Gallons with 1 Lb of Light DME and about 8 oz of MaltoDextrose. It started with a SG of 1.054. Safale S-04 yeast.

Just a few min ago I had to put a blow off tube in the carboy as this stuff is boiling and pouring out my airlock.

Anyone ever use DME in cider before? This is aggressive.

 

[Ciderzen]

They say the Graff recepie of Brandon O's can have extremely aggressive fermentation, and that is mostly apple cider along with DME added (as well as some other things)...

Just a question to better understand (since I am about to go through a very similar thing as you)... You are fermenting 5 gallons of cider in what size Carboy? What kind of Cider is it (i.e. store bought filtered (clear) apple juice, unfiltered fresh cider from a cider mill, with or without preservatives)?

 

[RukusDM]

They say the Graff recepie of Brandon O's can have extremely aggressive fermentation, and that is mostly apple cider along with DME added (as well as some other things)...

Just a question to better understand (since I am about to go through a very similar thing as you)... You are fermenting 5 gallons of cider in what size Carboy? What kind of Cider is it (i.e. store bought filtered (clear) apple juice, unfiltered fresh cider from a cider mill, with or without preservatives)?

I have a 6 gallon carboy and about 5 or 5.5 gallons in there. Store bought vegan apple juice no preservatives, just citric acid. 1 Lb Light DME, no other sugar. 8 oz. Maltodextrine. SG 1.054.

I think it might be due to me creating a starter with the S-04, so when I pitched, there were allot of yeast cells in there.

 

[RukusDM]

I would also expect that the DME is the culprit as it has allot of proteins in it creating a krausen.

 

[Ciderzen]

I would also expect that the DME is the culprit as it has allot of proteins in it creating a krausen.

You may be right on that - I am about to embark on the same thing, also with S-04 yeast, but mine will have 2 lbs. of DME. I expect to have a completely different looking/smelling fermentation than the apple wines I have made that were only juice and cane sugar with champagne yeast.

I will be doing a 5 gallon batch in a 7.8 gallon plastic fermentation bucket - should have enough extra space but I hope it doesn't make too much of a mess...

 

[RukusDM]

You may be right on that - I am about to embark on the same thing, also with S-04 yeast, but mine will have 2 lbs. of DME. I expect to have a completely different looking/smelling fermentation than the apple wines I have made that were only juice and cane sugar with champagne yeast.

I will be doing a 5 gallon batch in a 7.8 gallon plastic fermentation bucket - should have enough extra space but I hope it doesn't make too much of a mess...

5 Gallons Apple Juice, 2Lb DME, S-04 Yeast, Bucket, hose, blowoff adapter

 

[Calder]

I have recently done 2 similar batches, both 2.5 gallons in 3 gallon fermenters. 2+ gallons juice and 1.25 lbs LME. One had fresh WLP022 (Essex yeast) slurry, the other was fresh PacMan slury. Neither of them went higher than an inch above the wort/must. I did add 5 drops of FermCap to each which probably kept kraeusen down.

 

[RukusDM]

I have recently done 2 similar batches, both 2.5 gallons in 3 gallon fermenters. 2+ gallons juice and 1.25 lbs LME. One had fresh WLP022 (Essex yeast) slurry, the other was fresh PacMan slury. Neither of them went higher than an inch above the wort/must. I did add 5 drops of FermCap to each which probably kept kraeusen down.

I've read in different threads of people using FermCap but I never looked into it as I had never had this happen.

I just looked the product up at the williams site. If I ever try this again, I'll have to see if they have it at the local brew shop.

Funny thing about this ferment is I have the blowoff tube in the stopper. It seems to come in waves. It'll boil like hell for a half hour or so, and then calm down. Hour or so later it starts up again.

Its like the yeasts get some reinforcements and open up a big can o whup ass.