Reduct smell in my cider: how to get rid?

[hereistay]

Hi !
I have a young cider in cold crash for a week.
After a week from fermentation's end it had a reduction smell and was very cloudy.
Today the smell did not disappeared.
It should be a reduction/sulphur smell (h2s).
It should not be a problem to get rid of it by oxygenation or using copper or argent or specific products like reduless of lallemand.
Have you ever had problems with reduction smell?

 

[TechFanMD]

When did you start this cider? How young is it? Time will get rid of the sulfur smell.

 

[hereistay]

Fermentation started 3 weeks ago and finished in about a week.
I leaved it another week in the fermenter, siphoned and leaved it for a week at 2-4°C.

 

[TechFanMD]

That is really not long enough IMO. How do you know it was finished? Did you take SG readings a day apart?

Either way, it may need to age a bit. I'd have waited one more week before cold crashing it, and maybe degassed it a few times in the 3rd-4th week. Cider is much closer to wine than beer, so in many ways to need to follow wine procedures and timing. It will eventually clear, the yeast will do some cleanup, flavors will mellow.

Airlock activity may be very slow (and isn't a good indicator of fermentation anyway) while it is still fermenting....just at a much slower pace. I see gravity continue to decrease into week 3 at a very slow pace even with fairly aggressive yeasts.

 

[S-Met]

If using store juice, early nutrient additions have helped reduce/eliminate the sulfide smell. From what I understand, sulfide is a byproduct of stressed yeast caused by lack of nutrition. Mid-low temp range of your yeast coupled with a nutrient addition at pitch has greatly reduced my ciders Rhino-farts. Not mine, just the cider's.

 

[MarkKF]

That’s why I always use yeast nutrients. Clean fermentation.

 

[S-Met]

And don't oxygenate a cider this far along. Maybe the 1st 2-3 days, but not now.

 

[LeBreton]

Rack it off into another container. That will introduce some oxygen and help degas the cider. If that doesn't help some gentle stirring may do it. Try these more natural methods before adding things like copper or reduless.

 

[dmtaylor]

All you need is time. Sulfur will disappear with age. Give it a couple months.

 

[LeBreton]

All you need is time. Sulfur will disappear with age. Give it a couple months.

Not if it's a reductive H2S issue. Which, if left unaddressed can turn into mercaptans which are much, much, more difficult to deal with.

 

[hereistay]

That is really not long enough IMO. How do you know it was finished? Did you take SG readings a day apart?

Either way, it may need to age a bit. I'd have waited one more week before cold crashing it, and maybe degassed it a few times in the 3rd-4th week. Cider is much closer to wine than beer, so in many ways to need to follow wine procedures and timing. It will eventually clear, the yeast will do some cleanup, flavors will mellow.

Airlock activity may be very slow (and isn't a good indicator of fermentation anyway) while it is still fermenting....just at a much slower pace. I see gravity continue to decrease into week 3 at a very slow pace even with fairly aggressive yeasts.

The fermentation was almost finished by considering the densimeter value.

 

[hereistay]

That’s why I always use yeast nutrients. Clean fermentation.

I used yeast nutrients.

 

[hereistay]

So...should I oxygenated it or not?
What should I do to avoid mercaptans?

 

[LeBreton]

So...should I oxygenated it or not?
What should I do to avoid mercaptans?

Rack over and give it a day or two before sampling again. Post again with an update. Patience is key in cidermaking. You have some time before mercaptans form to the point of being a problem. Try low intervention options first and then escalate from there.

 

[hereistay]

Ok, I don't have a jar to fill completely is it a problem to leave it not completely filled?

 

[hereistay]

Racked and swirled.
This is the situation, as u can see the fermenter is not completely filled.
What to do now?

 

[hereistay]

It seems that today the smell is lighter.
Btw today I gave a sample to an oenologist to have some tests.
I have a question, if I leaved it aging for few months will it start fermenting again adding sugar?
I want to have sparkling cider so I have to make a priming adding sugars

 

[Maylar]

Yes, yeast will remain in solution for a long time. The general rule (from what I've read) is that after about 5 months you should consider adding a pinch of yeast at bottling time to insure carbonation.

 

[hereistay]

Tasted today.
It seems that the majority of the smell has gone away.
It is quite clear.
Could I bottle now?

 

[hereistay]

Here the tests results:
Alcohol 7.49 %Vol
Sugars 0.15gram/liter
Total acidity : 4.23grams/liter
Volatileaacidity: 0grams/liter
Malic acid: 4.16grams/liter
Lactic acid : 0gram/liter
Tartaric acid: 0.07 gram/liter
Ph: 3.89

What do you think about it?

 

[bmd2k1]

Here the tests results:
Alcohol 7.49 %Vol
Sugars 0.15gram/liter
Total acidity : 4.23grams/liter
Volatileaacidity: 0grams/liter
Malic acid: 4.16grams/liter
Lactic acid : 0gram/liter
Tartaric acid: 0.07 gram/liter
Ph: 3.89

What do you think about it?

What kind of a kit do ya use to measure all those? (Other than ABV)

 

[hereistay]

What kind of a kit do ya use to measure all those? (Other than ABV)

Personally no kit.
I am a member of a winegrowing cooperative here and the oenologist made these test for free for me with a machine used for grape wine

 

[hereistay]

Btw these are all the values I have :
Alcohol 7.49 %Vol
Sugars 0.15gram/liter
Total acidity : 4.23grams/liter
Volatile acidity: 0grams/liter
Malic acid: 4.16grams/liter
Lactic acid : 0gram/liter
Tartaric acid: 0.07 gram/liter
Ph: 3.89
Total red polyphenols: 1720.44 mg/l
Total white polyphenols:422.89 mg/l
Total polyphenols: 206 mg/l
Extract: 20.12 g/l
D. O 420: 0.0962
D. O 520: 0.0111
D. O 630: 0.0001
IC: 0.10
IPT: 5
Tonality: 1.33
CO2: 0.7 g/l
Density 20/20: 0.99624
Potash: 1336 mg/l
Methanol: 0.12 g/l (or mg, I don't remember but it is in the normal range so no problem)