My cider smells like yeast

[TheChosunOne]

Hi everyone, I just started homebrewing about a month ago so Im pretty new at this. When I was bottling the cider I sampled it and there was a noticeable smell of yeast. Fortunately it doesnt taste like yeast. Is this normal? If not, is there anything I can do to get rid of the smell?

 

[bucketnative]

What was your process? How long had it fermented, had it dropped clear, only primary (or did you age in secondary)?

 

[TheChosunOne]

Uhm, not sure what you mean by process, I just followed the instruction on the Brooklyn Brewers cider kit. I fermented it for 2 weeks in a primary before bottling and it was a little cloudy.

 

[buMbLeB]

I've never used a kit, and I actually never use sulfites/ates/whatever, but two weeks seems really quick to be bottling. I've also never smelled yeast in my cider. But if you've already bottled it I doubt there's anything you can do now. Are you sure you're not creating bottle bombs?

 

[bucketnative]

Uhm, not sure what you mean by process, I just followed the instruction on the Brooklyn Brewers cider kit. I fermented it for 2 weeks in a primary before bottling and it was a little cloudy.

Well your process would be the list of the exact steps that you followed. I suspect that you still had a lot of yeast in suspension, hence the yeasty smell. It will drop out of suspension in the bottle, and that may help rid the cider of some of the yeasty aroma.

I typically ferment a cider in primary for 4 weeks. By then, a lot of the yeast has dropped out of suspension, and the cider is starting to clear. I would then transfer (rack) the cider to a secondary vessel (usually glass), in order to further clear and start to age. That step usually lasts another 4 weeks (for me). By the, the cider is very clear. That's when I will bottle.

As for fermentation, @buMbLeB has a good point. Are you sure that fermentation was complete prior to bottling? Did you take a gravity measurement at time of bottling? Did you prime the bottles with any sugar for carbonation?

 

[BeeDeeEff]

Uhm, not sure what you mean by process, I just followed the instruction on the Brooklyn Brewers cider kit. I fermented it for 2 weeks in a primary before bottling and it was a little cloudy.

Cloudiness was probably yeast, and thus the smell/flavor. 2 weeks is often long enough for something to finish fermenting, but if you had waited a few more the yeast particles would've fallen to the bottom leaving you clear cider to siphon off on top.

Often in this hobby, just giving things more time is a good idea.

 

[TheChosunOne]

I've never used a kit, and I actually never use sulfites/ates/whatever, but two weeks seems really quick to be bottling. I've also never smelled yeast in my cider. But if you've already bottled it I doubt there's anything you can do now. Are you sure you're not creating bottle bombs?

It pretty much stopped bubbling and it was super dry when I tasted it, so I don't think so.

 

[TheChosunOne]

Well your process would be the list of the exact steps that you followed. I suspect that you still had a lot of yeast in suspension, hence the yeasty smell. It will drop out of suspension in the bottle, and that may help rid the cider of some of the yeasty aroma.

I typically ferment a cider in primary for 4 weeks. By then, a lot of the yeast has dropped out of suspension, and the cider is starting to clear. I would then transfer (rack) the cider to a secondary vessel (usually glass), in order to further clear and start to age. That step usually lasts another 4 weeks (for me). By the, the cider is very clear. That's when I will bottle.

As for fermentation, @buMbLeB has a good point. Are you sure that fermentation was complete prior to bottling? Did you take a gravity measurement at time of bottling? Did you prime the bottles with any sugar for carbonation?

I feel like it fully fermented, I don't have a hydrometer so I couldnt take gravity measurements but the bubbles pretty much stopped and the airlock stopped bubbling. I primed it with some honey.

 

[TheChosunOne]

Cloudiness was probably yeast, and thus the smell/flavor. 2 weeks is often long enough for something to finish fermenting, but if you had waited a few more the yeast particles would've fallen to the bottom leaving you clear cider to siphon off on top.

Often in this hobby, just giving things more time is a good idea.

Yeah, I have another batch that I started and I am gonna wait a lot longer and let it sit in a secondary.

I guess I was a little too excited to try it out xD.

 

[TheChosunOne]

Thanks guys

 

[MarkKF]

I always age in a secondary 3-9 months. It gets very clear and no odor. If I was going to bottle after a couple weeks in the primary I would definitely cold crash first. Once it's capped no chance of loosing the odor.