Starting Cider Fermentation?

[cpote]

Will someone please point me in the right direction? I am trying to make a hard cider to no avail....I cannot get the stuff to begin fermentation.

I first used a cider from a local orchard. After no fermentation after 9 days, I looked at the label and saw that it contained less than .1% potassium sorbate, so I figured that is why the fermentation never started.

So, I tried again with a store bought cider. Pasturized but no preservatives. It has not started fermenting either!

I'm using 1/2 gal of cider, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/8 tsp tannin, 1/4 tsp nutrient, and 1/8 tsp Nottingham yeast. My SG is 1.060.

Any help?

 

[Ickythekid]

The formula looks right for fermentation. There's got to be something missing here. Did you mix the two ciders together? Did your yeast or mixture get over 70Deg somehow? I'm grabbing at straws here.

 

[cpote]

No, I did not mix them at all. I did warm up the cider a little when I rehydrated the yeast....

 

[MooMooBrew]

get specific with your temps. yeast are fickle things. also, you must like frustration, 1/2 gallon of cider is crazytalk... go big or go home.

could have been that your yeast was old. see if you can go to a homebrew shop and get fresh yeast.

the more details you provide, the better.

MOOMOO

 

[Brewkowski]

How did the yeast look when you rehydrated it? If it was foamy then your yeast was good. Then look at temps like others said, how long did you give it? Next time shake the cider a good amount to add some oxygen to it, that can help start things up quicker.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

I too would like to know about your temperatures. I see you are in Iowa, where in the house is the fermenter and what temperature is the room. I had a small test batch of cider in the basement and it got chilly here (just guessing that the unfinished area was mid 50's). It didn't start and all the yeast fell out of suspension. I brought it up, shook it to resuspend the yeast and set it in the pantry tha is in the low 70's. Within hours it had taken off.

 

[cpote]

My yeast is not old. I just bought it and the use by date is 2013. I didn't check the temperature of the cider when I rehydrated the yeast. I put it in the microwave for 18 seconds. It was warm to the touch, but not hot. The yeast was not foamy when I put it in...I let it set overnight and it never got that way. It just turned the cider cloudy.
I did shake the bottle. It didn't do anything. I keep the bottle on top of my fridge in the pantry. The temp of the cider is 72 degrees...
I only make 1/2 gallon batches for this reason. If I ruin it, I don't waste a whole bunch. I want to make the recipe's perfect before I make a huge batch....

 

[cpote]

Just to be clear...I rehydrated the yeast in about 1/4 cup cider..