Stalled fermentation of cider

[Gregory John Alexander]

I am currently fermenting a cider and it has stalled out a 1.035. My original gravity was 1.06. I have 10 gallons in an SS fermenter. I pitched 3 pkgs of white labs champagne yeast. I got good fermentation for about 4 days and it has just stalled at 1.035. can anyone tell me why and what I can do to get it going again?

 

[Toxxyc]

Did you feed the yeast? Aerate? What temperatures is it sitting at? How sure are you that it is actually stalled?

 

[Maylar]

Are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer?

 

[Gregory John Alexander]

I use a Tilt hydrometer. I read a bunch of other threads and agitated the juice and it is fermenting again. Slowly though. I am used to brewing beer and much faster and aggressive fermentation.

 

[dmtaylor]

4 days!? Give it 4 WEEKS and then tell us where it's at. Patience!

 

[Toxxyc]

4 days!? Give it 4 WEEKS and then tell us where it's at. Patience!

This. I've had brews go on for a full month at a 1.08 gravity. It happens.

 

[ten80]

Agreed don't rush it, this isn't a beer fermentation. I've had champagne yeast take 3+ months to ferment cider dry (~1.060 OG to 0.995 fg) without the addition of nutrients. Slow fermentation is a good thing for cider as it helps preserve aromas and results in a more complex finished product.

My guess is that the yeast ran through the available free amino nitrogen (FAN) from the juice and is now slowing down, but isn't stopped. It's damn difficult to stop champagne yeast from fermenting apple juice completely dry.