Juice and yeast, good, but non carbonated

[Cammyg]

Hey guys!

So I tried making cider just using pasteurized juice and s-04 yeast. Went from og 1.042 down to only 1.009 ( I thought it would go lower). Once I tested it a few days in a row and it had settled at 1.009, I bottled it. It was about 2 gallons, with 1 pack of yeast. A few days before I bottled it, I did a transfer, leaving the bottem yeast cake behind. I primed the cider with about 1/4 cup of sugar. It has now been in the bottle for 5 days, and it seems to be uncarbonated, and there is no yeast cake in the bottem of any of the bottles. Seems to me like the yeast maybe died? Or it all got left behind in the transfer... I'm not sure! Anyone have any idea why is isn't carbonating? Tastes good, just flat.

 

[Whatsgoodmiley]

5 days isn't much. I've had the same issue before and came here with the same question. That batch that didbt seem like it was carbing at all at 2 weeks was fully carbed by 4. It may just need time.

 

[MindenMan]

Try leaving your new cider alone for three weeks before checking for carbonation. Cider is always best with aging; if you can wait three months or more you will be greatly rewarded for your patience.
Welcome to the forum, and if you have any questions always feel free to ask; don't forget all of us old timers were new once too.

 

[Cammyg]

Okay awesome thanks! I'll see what happens. Is it right to assume that if you don't see a small yeast cake on the bottom, it hasn't carbonated?

 

[Sourz4life]

Sometimes it can be so thin its hard to see depending on how well you filtered out. But there should def be some yeast still in there. 3 weeks is the time I wait before trying one.

 

[dmtaylor]

Carbonation takes a good 3-6 weeks. Patience.