Lots of sediment after 1 week

[UpstateMike]

Started 4 gallons of local pressed cider last Sunday. It was 1.055 right out of the jugs, so I did not add any sugar. I added yeast nutrient, yeast energizer, liquid pectic enzyme, and a starter made from Safale S-04. After 5 days, I have about 2 inches of sediment in the bottom of the carboy.

I was planning on racking to a secondary when it got to 1.000. Should I do it earlier, or just wait it out?

 

[S3NTYN3L]

I, too, would like to see this one answered.

I just pitched some Nottingham into my farm fresh cider mix ala Brandon O and noticed about an inch of sediment when I did so, lol.
My guess is that it's normal because it is farm fresh and unfiltered, but damn me if I'm not just a little worried right now, lol...

 

[icanbenchurcat]

Looks fine to me, definitely ferment to dry before racking.

 

[S3NTYN3L]

And this?
I stirred it up when I pitched the yeast so it's not settled just yet...

 

[LeBreton]

Meh, just keep it. No need to give yourself extra work.

 

[Yooper]

I'm a big fan of fermenting wine/mead/cider, and I always rack to secondary when the SG is 1.020 or less. You want to get the cider off of the gross lees, and there is NO advantage to keeping it on such a thick lees.

Rack when 1.020 or less from primary, and top up. Rack thereafter whenever you have lees 1/4" thick or more, or after 60 days if you have any lees at all.

 

[S3NTYN3L]

Hmm, well, as I said, I JUST pitched the yeast when I last posted.
The stuff you see in the pic was there PRIOR to pitching.

I suppose I'll let it settle a day or so and rack to remove that stuff...

 

[Yooper]

Hmm, well, as I said, I JUST pitched the yeast when I last posted.
The stuff you see in the pic was there PRIOR to pitching.

I suppose I'll let it settle a day or so and rack to remove that stuff...

No, if you just pitched the yeast, let it sit for about a week. Some of the gross lees will compact down, but you won't impact fermentation if you wait a week or so.

My post was directed at the OP- fermentation is done, or nearly so, and the lees are compacted and the cider is clear.

 

[LeBreton]

Not trying to be argumentative here, just curious, but what dis-advantage and negatives do people believe may occur if heavy sediment is left for the duration of primary fermentation? It's just apple solids, and won't be in the picture for more than a month on the outside.

 

[S3NTYN3L]

OK, I'll give it a week and then rack it.
It'll only be going for another three weeks or so after that, so... <undecided.gif>


EDIT:

Sorry, L, missed your post.
I agree. It's just something I've not seen before.
Then again, any hard ciders I've seen, at the beginning of the process/in pics (here or otherwise) were made with store bought juice so I've no basis for my "fears".

 

[Yooper]

Not trying to be argumentative here, just curious, but what dis-advantage and negatives do people believe may occur if heavy sediment is left for the duration of primary fermentation? It's just apple solids, and won't be in the picture for more than a month on the outside.

There are some flavors that can be created from sitting on the lees for lengthy time periods. Some are "interesting", and some wines are purposely left on lees, but stirred, for a certain "je nois se quois". That is called "aging sur lie". It makes a distinctive flavor, sort of like yeasty nuts, in some white wines.

Some people don't mind the flavor, and even like it, but it's sort of a weird flavor to me. In order to do it properly, the winemaker stirs the lees back into the wine, though.

After about 3 months or so, the yeast cells in the lees start breaking down. Rotting, if you will. It can be a slow process, and sometimes the cidermaking doesn't find any problem with the flavor imparted by leaving it on the lees. I think it takes away from the cider, and my preference is to get it off of thick lees, especially once it's clear.

 

[atimmerman88]

Started 4 gallons of local pressed cider last Sunday. It was 1.055 right out of the jugs, so I did not add any sugar. I added yeast nutrient, yeast energizer, liquid pectic enzyme, and a starter made from Safale S-04. After 5 days, I have about 2 inches of sediment in the bottom of the carboy.

I was planning on racking to a secondary when it got to 1.000. Should I do it earlier, or just wait it out?

I'm more or less doing what you did this weekend....

I'm new to cider so I was hoping you could offer a few details on your process to help me get through my 1st batch.

Planning to run up 5gal of fresh pressed cider.

toss in 5 ?? crushed up camden tables to zap out the natures yeasties.

take a grav. reading...add brown sugar to get gravity up to 1.06 or so

ferm w/ s04 or chanpiegne yeast?? down to hopefully around 1.00

back-sweeten with left over cider from the pressing to taste

bottle, pasteurize once I hit reasonable carb levels.

wondering when to add the pectic enzyme ?

 

[UpstateMike]

toss in 5 ?? crushed up camden tables to zap out the natures yeasties.

No need to do that, your yeast will take over.

take a grav. reading...add brown sugar to get gravity up to 1.06 or so

That will give you an ABV of about 8% at 1.000, and about 8.6% at 0.995.

ferm w/ s04 or chanpiegne yeast??

Use the S-04, or Nottingham. Champaign yeast will strip the cider of its flavor, IMHO.

wondering when to add the pectic enzyme ?

Right at the start, in the primary.

 

[UpstateMike]

I checked the gravity in my cider yesterday, and it was at 0.995. When I started the batch 6 days prior, it was at 1.055. I am a bit surprised at the speed of the fermentation on this. Temps were at 66-68. The only thing I can think of for the speed is the yeast nutrient and energizer that I added.

Since this caught me by surprise yesterday, I will be racking it today, and let it just sit and clear for a few months.

 

[Yooper]

I checked the gravity in my cider yesterday, and it was at 0.995. When I started the batch 6 days prior, it was at 1.055. I am a bit surprised at the speed of the fermentation on this. Temps were at 66-68. The only thing I can think of for the speed is the yeast nutrient and energizer that I added.

Since this caught me by surprise yesterday, I will be racking it today, and let it just sit and clear for a few months.

I'm almost always at .990 or so within about 5-7 days, even with wines that start as high as 1.100! So I'm not surprised at all.

 

[atimmerman88]

No need to do that, your yeast will take over.

That will give you an ABV of about 8% at 1.000, and about 8.6% at 0.995.

Use the S-04, or Nottingham. Champaign yeast will strip the cider of its flavor, IMHO

What would you recommend for yeast then?

I'm planning to back sweeten with more fresh cider

Right at the start, in the primary.

Amount ?

 

[atimmerman88]

Sorry that sent funky from my phone...

Amount of pectic??

And I'm planning to back sweeten with fresh cider.

Is the ale yeast more easily controlled ?

 

[roadymi]

Not trying to be argumentative here, just curious, but what dis-advantage and negatives do people believe may occur if heavy sediment is left for the duration of primary fermentation? It's just apple solids, and won't be in the picture for more than a month on the outside.

I concur........I've been starting my ciders in late fall in 15 gallon drums. I let them sit until feb or march or when I have time as my winters are very busy. I've noticed no ill effects.

 

[johnny5000]

I have a huge amount of sediment in my primary- sent a bunch of apples through a juicer and a lot of extra pulp settled out.
I want to rack off the sediment but then I'll lose about 1/4 of the volume.
Should I top it off with more fresh cider or what?

 

[Yooper]

I have a huge amount of sediment in my primary- sent a bunch of apples through a juicer and a lot of extra pulp settled out.
I want to rack off the sediment but then I'll lose about 1/4 of the volume.
Should I top it off with more fresh cider or what?

Yes, that would be a good thing to do.

 

[S3NTYN3L]

Woke up this morning to about 1/4 inch of sediment.
It seems the yeasties are keeping things stirred up in there.
I'll not bother with racking it since it's only running its course for around 4 weeks...

 

[LeBreton]

I have a huge amount of sediment in my primary- sent a bunch of apples through a juicer and a lot of extra pulp settled out.
I want to rack off the sediment but then I'll lose about 1/4 of the volume.
Should I top it off with more fresh cider or what?

I also use a home juicer. After juicing, I pass everything through a straining bag like this one before adding to the carboy.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...esh-bags/jumbo-coarse-strain-bag-18-x-32.html

 

[S3NTYN3L]

I also use a home juicer. After juicing, I pass everything through a straining bag like this one before adding to the carboy.

Well, lesson learned.
I'm not worried about it though, I'm wanting my finished product to be cloudy and "imperfect", so...

Perhaps when I next brew something similar I'll send it through one of those bags.