Offgassing cider? Odd smell.

[Garfield43]

Hello.
I am a super green newb at homebrewing, been at this cider making about 6 months.
My usual routine is to add yeast, nutrient and clarifier enzyme to a container of store bought juice, let it set until it quits bubbling and or gets a specific gravity of one or less. I would then cold crash it, transfer it to clean containers, backsweeten with concentrated apple juice, let it carbonate and then move it back in to the fridge.

I injured myself after the cold crash phase so it set in the fridge for at least a month this time.
Looked fine, no mold, yeast had settled to the bottom. I siphoned it in to a keg (my first time trying that) and it smells different than the other batches. Not rancid or bad just earthy and yeasty. I have the keg setting with the lid off and a trash bag covering the opening. I'm hoping that will give the gas a place to go and keep the bugs out.

I have a trap (the thing you put water in to let gas out) Should I rig that up to the keg and let it set a day or before I seal it up so it can carb?
If so should I put the trap on the in or the out of the keg?
I have a floating ball on the out if that makes a difference.
I have not backsweetend this batch yet. I don't want to waste the AJ concentrate if this batch is bad. I don't think it is.

I would apricate any and all suggestions.
Thanks!

 

[madscientist451]

Is the taste ok? Its hard to decide what to do by smell alone. I'd close the keg up and put some CO2 in there to keep oxygen out.

 

[Garfield43]

I have it closed and a trap connected to the gas port.
Will it naturally carb with CO2 in there?
I thought yeast needed oxygen.
I guess I should taste it, it never tastes good before I sweeten it but I know what it should taste like.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I'm trying to recollect if I smelled/detected a strange smell when I fermented cider.

What is the smell? Sulfur (rotten eggs/farts)?

 

[Garfield43]

Yeast and just a hint of earthy almost musty smell.
It is good and clear and there was no mold.
Does anyone else usually off gas their cider or is there no need?
I never have before.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I do believe you are describing acetaldehyde.

Same applies to cider.

 

[Maylar]

Or this:

2,4,6-trichloroanisole
Trichloroanisole taints cider through contact with contaminated air, filter materials, or packaging. The compound imparts an unpleasant musty odour to cider, which is reminiscent of damp cellars or corked wine.

I had a cider judged as "green apples" ( Acetaldehyde ) but it tasted fine to me.

 

[Garfield43]

OK well if it is either of those it probably isn't going to just evaporate away is it?
I will give it a taste and as long as it just taste really dry I will back sweeten it and let it naturally carb.
Should I put come co2 in the head space or does the yeast need the oxygen to process the new sugar to make bubbles?

 

[Yooper]

OK well if it is either of those it probably isn't going to just evaporate away is it?
I will give it a taste and as long as it just taste really dry I will back sweeten it and let it naturally carb.
Should I put come co2 in the head space or does the yeast need the oxygen to process the new sugar to make bubbles?

NO oxygen once fermentation begins- fermentation by yeast is anaeorbic.

 

[Garfield43]

I tasted it, super dry with just a hint of burnt caramel.
I went a head and added the AJ concentrate and put some gas in the keg.
Hopefully it wont get any worse.

I also aged this batch longer be fore it went in the fridge.
I was thinking that should be a good thing but when you are using plastic containers and not filling the head space with CO2 you are letting set on oxygen a long time.

This also answers why my Ed Wort Appelwein taste bad I bet.
It really taste like burnt coffee.
Probably no saving it.

 

[Garfield43]

Somthing else I meant to say is apparently before I was drinking my cider fast enough the oxygen didn't hurt anything.
I am so used to the the idea from wine that the best thing you can do is just let it set longer.
Apparently that's not true with cider at least if you are making it in plastic jugs like I am.

It figures that this as the batch I was going to take to a friend's Labor Day BBQ.
I wonder if I have time for another batch?
I have 2 weeks, would that be possible if I force carbed it?