Stopping Fermentation

[TheHermit]

Do I need both of these to stop fermentation? Potassium metabisulfite, potassium sorbate to prevent re-fermentation. Or do I use Camden Tablets, as I do have all of the above.

Until I get a better grasp of things I am making a still cider. As I gain experience I will start carbonizing some of my brew. What is the best way to retard the fermentation. I see so many things that I am a little confused. Thanks for the help?

 

[Yooper]

Stopping an active fermentation is like stopping a freight train, and neither campden nor sorbate will do that.

What sorbate does do is keep yeast from reproducing, so it will work in a finished cider once it's clear, to keep fermentation from restarting when sugars are added. But since there are hundreds of billions of active yeast during fermentation, the yeast don't need to reproduce so sorbate doesn't do anything.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

the best way to "retard" fermentation is cold crashing. (and I mean cold, not just turn the heat belt off) This would drop a lot of the yeast out of suspension or make them semi-dormant. Of course it would start back up if you let it warm back up.

Other than that...it's like Yooper said...it's like stopping a freight train.

 

[CRoth36]

Why would you want to stop fermentation? Would you stop breathing?

 

[aiptasia]

It can be done with pasteurization though. I've had to do it to halt fermentation in rice wine and Sake, and it's common practice in those styles. I think there are already threads on both stove top and dishwasher pasteurization methods. I've done the stove top method but I understand the dishwasher method works well, and can be safer if you have a glass bottle break.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

I like to cold crash in the keg to save the last 6 points or so. It never stops, but it slows everything down.

 

[progmac]

cville_kevin has indicated a great deal off success in halting fermentation by cold crashing for several days and then racking. he says fermentation rarely picks back up.

i'm experimenting with this method currently. i cold crashed and racked twice. now it sits at room temperature. fermentation appears to have stopped and left me with a cider around 1.015. my results are nothing yet though, i need to bottle and store for a while before claiming it is stable. but search for threads with cville_kevin discussing cold crashing. this will be a still cider.

 

[TheHermit]

Why would you want to stop fermentation? Would you stop breathing?

Pretty dumb response maybe this is why I and many others shy from forums and decide to wing it. You know what I just decided to wing it everyone have a nice day I will figure it out.

 

[TheHermit]

By the way this will BE THE LAST STUPID QUESTION I POST !!! I will go to the Library.

 

[ColoHox]

By the way this will BE THE LAST STUPID QUESTION I POST !!! I will go to the Library.

You got a lot of helpful responses from very experienced people. Seems odd to focus your attention on one unhelpful post and complain about the forum as a whole. Good luck!