Stalled cider

[bama_new_wine]

We are making our first cider, from apples we pressed. The pressing gave us 4.5 gallons of must. We started with a SG of 1.060, left in the primary with no airlock (the recipe did not say to use one) for 10 days, until SG was 1.020. We racked 4 gallons to a 5 gallon carboy and put on bung and airlock as the recipe directed. 5 days later SG was 1.016, but after another 5 days it was still 1.016. Should we take action, and if so what? Or do we just need to wait? Thanks in advance.

 

[ericbw]

We are making our first cider, from apples we pressed. The pressing gave us 4.5 gallons of must. We started with a SG of 1.060, left in the primary with no airlock (the recipe did not say to use one) for 10 days, until SG was 1.020. We racked 4 gallons to a 5 gallon carboy and put on bung and airlock as the recipe directed. 5 days later SG was 1.016, but after another 5 days it was still 1.016. Should we take action, and if so what? Or do we just need to wait? Thanks in advance.

Cider should finish much lower than that. What temperature?

 

[bama_new_wine]

I'm not sure of the exact temp of the must. I don't have a thermometer on the carboy, but the room it's in is 68-72 fahrenheit.

 

[bama_new_wine]

Should I add nutrient, wrap a heater strip on it, or what?

 

[bama_new_wine]

I

 

[bama_new_wine]

I agree it should finish lower than that. The recipe says the target SG is 1.000.

 

[podz]

The finishing gravity depends on which yeast was used as well as the starting gravity. Research the finishing gravity potential of your yeast before wondering further...

 

[bama_new_wine]

We used Lalvin EC-118 yeast. I'll research finishing gravity, but if anybody already knows this, it will save me some time.

 

[podz]

I used EC-1118 once, to make raspberry wine, and it finished at 0.994 in about 6 days. That was about 17% ABV wine.

Pull some out with a thief and have a sip. 1.016 will taste pretty good. I normally cold-crash mine when it hits 1.020 so I can keep carbonation and no need to back-sweeten. Of course, I need to keep the bottles in the fridge until I drink them.