Honey

[Craig s.]

So I think I messed up!! After I added all my ingredients and right before I plugged the carboy I added about 2tbsp of honey.
It never really took off but it is still bubbling the airlock.
Question is, did I ruin the cider?

 

[Lefou]

No, you didn't ruin your cider.
Honey is simply food for the yeast but doesn't contain a lot of the nutrients you'll find in Fermaid or DAP. In larger amounts it can increase your alcohol levels but 2tbsp of honey won't hurt your cider at all. I sometimes mix a bit of nutrient in a honey/water mix to keep a cider or mead from developing a sulfide stink left from stressed yeast metabolism.

 

[bmd2k1]

You'll be fine! [emoji16]

 

[Cavpilot2000]

That little honey wont make a difference on anything.

 

[JimRausch]

Craig- We often say that "Airlock bubbles mean nothing", but when you see them within a day or two of pitching your yeast, then it does give you peace of mind. If you are used to seeing thick krausen with beer fermentation, then relax, you won't see that with cider, there's just not as much protein. Ciders often ferment slower, and longer than beers do. Give it 2-3 weeks then take a couple of specific gravity readings to see if it's finished.
And as others have said, adding honey was not a problem. It's done fairly frequently as a source of fermentable sugar.
By the way- welcome to the forum!

 

[Lefou]

If you're using a bucket fermenter it's difficult to observe a cider fermentation. If you use a clear container you might see a "slow fizz" as the yeasties do their work.