It's been 2 weeks and my cider is still bubbling the airlock

[Pharmer88]

This is my first cider and I'm not sure what is going on.

I used 3 gallons of hand pressed unpasteurized and unpreserved cider with 2 gallons of commercial cider (all 5 gallons from the same farm) with <0.1% potassium sorbate.

Let it sit in the gallon jugs until about room temp (mid 60's), put it all into a well sanitized bucket, and added one vial of WLP004 Irish Ale yeast that had been warming up and being shaken for 5-6 hours.

It's sitting in the basement (where I've fermented a couple successful beers) at about 70F. It started bubbling a couple days into the fermentation and has not stopped since and it's been 10 days today.

My gf and I are really excited about this (since it's the first thing I'm making that she'll like) but I'm getting nervous that something has gone wrong.

 

[JoshWithrow]

My first cider went similarly. Just be patient (I know, easier said than done) and don't rush it. It'll be fine.

 

[beekeeperman]

Same, 12 days since pitching ale yeast and still burping a little.
Figuring it will probably be 3 weeks before finishing but may rack to carboy
for finishing in a few days.
Cider seems to ferment much slower than beer, just my newb observation.

 

[Randzor]

The sorbate may have delayed or prevented your yeast from multipling thus leading to a slow fermentation

 

[UpstateMike]

What does your hydrometer say?

 

[Pharmer88]

I haven't gotten a chance to check it yet. I won't be home until Wednesday but it's the first thing I plan to do when I get home haha. I know it's still bubbling because I asked my gf to go check, I had to know.

OG was 1.055

 

[number40fan]

Three weeks before my first cider dropped to under a bubble a minute.

 

[Paps]

I've had visible airlock activity at the 1-month mark before.
Nothing is wrong with your batch.
Let the yeast work at their own pace, you cannot rush them.
Start more cider now and get a pipeline going.

 

[Maylar]

Did you add yeast nutrient?

 

[RedStone]

Maylar - similar situation. At the start i was at 1050 and now at 1020 after 2+ weeks. The bubbling has slowed actually. I have put nutrient in in the first week, but wondering if I should now, again. If so, how much? I forget how much I put in before, but not a whole lot. Maybe 2-3 teaspoons in my 25 liter bucket. Thats about .5 teaspoons per gallon if I recall.

 

[b-boy]

Ciders take a lot longer than beer. I usually let mine sit for at least a month before I even take a gravity reading.

 

[Apple_Jacker]

Did you take any gravity readings? The fermentation probably isn't finished, but even if it were, gases could still be escaping from the cider.

 

[MarkKF]

With ale yeast I do up to 3 weeks in the primary. Wine or champagne yeast more like 7-10 days. But I also leave it in the secondary up to a year.


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[Pharmer88]

What advantage does adding yeast nutrient give you?
I haven't used any and I'm wondering if I should this late into fermentation or if I should just let it go and see what happens.

 

[burninator]

Cider is basically fully fermentable. That yeast is going to keep eating until there's no sugar left.

 

[Nogud247]

What advantage does adding yeast nutrient give you?
I haven't used any and I'm wondering if I should this late into fermentation or if I should just let it go and see what happens.

The nutrient feeds the yeast and let's them not be as stressed. Stressed yeast can produce nasty smells. Also apple juice doesn't have the array of food for the yeast that other fermentables have so it'll help the yeast be happy. Happy yeast make happy alcohol.

 

[MarkKF]

The nutrient is important in the beginning. Not so much later. Dead yeast Is a good nutrient.


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[beekeeperman]

Mine seemed like it was slowing up today with airlock only burpring once a minute after 2 weeks in pail.
I racked it into a carboy and took a gravity reading. It is down to 1.020 from a 1.060 start using safale us-05 and a heaping tsp nutrient in 5 gals/1 lb+ br sugar.
I think it was fermenting on the cool side @62* F.
Got a wood fire going in the basement where the fermenting takes place and it started fermenting fairly vigorously again. FWIW
Not much trub on the btm of pail either, was surprised by that.
So was it too cool or just that i roused the yeast when racking to carboy ?

cider newb

 

[Pharmer88]

OG: 1.055 Current reading: 1.005. I think fermentation is going fine haha. It tasted a little off though. I think a month in secondary and some carbonation will help this greatly. I know this is rushing it for cider but I'd really like to have it on tap for Thanksgiving. Any tips on improving flavor other than time?

When you add brown sugar to the secondary sd you boil it in water and add it or just dump it in as granular? I'm just worried about infection if it isn't boiled. I have no idea if this is justified but it's come to my mind.

If I add cinnamon sticks to the secondary should they be sanitized in any way?

 

[MarkKF]

OG: 1.055 Current reading: 1.005. I think fermentation is going fine haha. It tasted a little off though. I think a month in secondary and some carbonation will help this greatly. I know this is rushing it for cider but I'd really like to have it on tap for Thanksgiving. Any tips on improving flavor other than time?

When you add brown sugar to the secondary sd you boil it in water and add it or just dump it in as granular? I'm just worried about infection if it isn't boiled. I have no idea if this is justified but it's come to my mind.

If I add cinnamon sticks to the secondary should they be sanitized in any way?

Do u mean brown sugar for priming only? I boil one cup of water and add 3/4 cup brown sugar. Stir it up til it's clear and the water cools a bit then add it to my bottling bucket.


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[Paps]

Adding more sugar will restart fermentation.
I personally don't sanitize cin-sticks for 2ndary as they are in a sealed food grade plastic container from the get go.

 

[Pharmer88]

I read a recipe that added 1lb of brown sugar to the secondary. I thought that sounded good on the flavor, sweetness and abv fronts. Just not sure what drawbacks there might be to doing that.

 

[worlddivides]

My first cider took over 3 weeks before it got down to 1 bubble a minute and close to 5 weeks before I had zero airlock activity. Seems normal to me.

 

[phug]

Keep in mind adding granulated sugar to your secondary will cause any co2 in solution to offgas quickly. Science fair volcano if you're not lucky. Go slow or dissolve it in some cider before adding


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[ohiochris]

Temperature plays a big role in how fast the yeast work. The warmer it is the faster it goes , but cooler temperatures and slower fermentation makes better cider. When I make it in the warmer months sometimes there is no movement in the airlock anymore by 5 to 7 days ,....but in the cooler months it can take a lot longer.

 

[Pharmer88]

Dissolved about 1lb of brown sugar in about a pint of cider. Brought it up to 180F or so degrees and held it for a bit then cooled it to 120F. Then I added it to the secondary with little bit of the yeast cake I harvested (in a sterile jar) after primary. (figured I'd give the healthy yeast some food and maybe add some viable back to help ferment all that sugar).

Is there anyway to figure this sugar addition into the original SG to calculate the FG. (Other than taking another SG right now?)

 

[beekeeperman]

Dissolved about 1lb of brown sugar in about a pint of cider. Brought it up to 180F or so degrees and held it for a bit then cooled it to 120F. Then I added it to the secondary with little bit of the yeast cake I harvested (in a sterile jar) after primary. (figured I'd give the healthy yeast some food and maybe add some viable back to help ferment all that sugar).

Is there anyway to figure this sugar addition into the original SG to calculate the FG. (Other than taking another SG right now?)

I think a lb of sugar will bump up a 5 gal batch by about 1%.

My 1st 5 gal batch cider has been fermenting for 4 1/2 weeks now.
I really jumped the gun by transferring to secondary after 2 weeks. I thought it was slowing down but apparently it was just cooler ferment temps.
Don't have another carboy to transfer to for final bulk aging and clearing so any suggestions on what to do would be helpful.
Leave it on the lees ? bottle as soon as fg has been achieved and ferment is complete ?

 

[Paps]

pony up the dough and go buy an ale pale