Too much oxygen?

[Canadianjen]

Hi everyone! New here and new to brewing! I just fermented 5 gallons of cider in a 6 gallon carboy and tonight I transferred to smaller 1 gallon carboys for secondary fermentation. I siphoned 2 gallons until I lost the bottom half of my auto siphon in my 6 gallon carboy (so dumb I bought a mini). So with only being concerned about sediment (and not thinking about oxygen), I poured (I’m cringing as I say it) the rest through a funnel, gently into the gallon jugs to try to not get too much sediment.

My question: Is the cider I poured going to be ruined now because I introduced too much oxygen? Is there any way to fix it if I did?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Probably not ruined.

When you say "secondary fermentation", does that mean it's done with primary fermentation?

Adding sulfite after primary fermentation is beneficial to prevent oxidation and also control wild microbes (if there are any). On the other hand, if you're going to bottle carbonate it, I'd recommend just bottling it now, if it's reasonably clear and tastes good.

Welcome to HBT!

 

[wasully]

Well yeast use oxygen to reproduce and ferment? Maybe throw enough sugar in to boost it a couple points of ABV, and a 2nd ferment, in hopes of using the oxygen up?

I don't know the chemistry but sulfite will limit the 'damage' oxygen will do.

Maybe add the sugar in the form of concentrate while you're at it.

 

[Yooper]

Adding sugar now won't "erase" any oxidative damage. So it's a bit too late, but if there was still a lot of c02 dissolved in the cider, hopefully the damage will be minimal.

I use potassium metabisulfate (campden, or k-meta) at every other racking as it binds to the cider or wine so that oxygen can't, and then it dissipates with time. You may want to consider that for future rackings.

 

[Canadianjen]

Probably not ruined.

When you say "secondary fermentation", does that mean it's done with primary fermentation?

Adding sulfite after primary fermentation is beneficial to prevent oxidation and also control wild microbes (if there are any). On the other hand, if you're going to bottle carbonate it, I'd recommend just bottling it now, if it's reasonably clear and tastes good.

Welcome to HBT!

Thanks. Yes done with primary fermentation. Has been sitting for two weeks. I’m leaving on vacation and wanted to let it sit in secondary while I’m gone. Thanks for the suggestion about sulfites, I’ll read up on that.

 

[Canadianjen]

Adding sugar now won't "erase" any oxidative damage. So it's a bit too late, but if there was still a lot of c02 dissolved in the cider, hopefully the damage will be minimal.

I use potassium metabisulfate (campden, or k-meta) at every other racking as it binds to the cider or wine so that oxygen can't, and then it dissipates with time. You may want to consider that for future rackings.

Hey, so I have campden tabs. You add it every time you rack? Doesn’t effect taste or anything? So if I racked last night, would it potentially help today to add it to the gallon carboys that I poured last night?

 

[Canadianjen]

Well yeast use oxygen to reproduce and ferment? Maybe throw enough sugar in to boost it a couple points of ABV, and a 2nd ferment, in hopes of using the oxygen up?

I don't know the chemistry but sulfite will limit the 'damage' oxygen will do.

Maybe add the sugar in the form of concentrate while you're at it.

When everyone here says add sulfites, you mean like add a campden tab of something similar?

 

[Yooper]

Hey, so I have campden tabs. You add it every time you rack? Doesn’t effect taste or anything? So if I racked last night, would it potentially help today to add it to the gallon carboys that I poured last night?

You can't 'erase' what has happened, but it can help to protect it from further damage down the road as it sits. A general rule of them is one crushed (and dissolved in some liquid) campden tablet per gallon. Crush it, and dissolve in a tiny bit of the cider or some water, then add to the carboy.

The dosage is generally to do that at every other racking and at bottling.

When everyone here says add sulfites, you mean like add a campden tab of something similar?

Yes. You can buy the powdered k-meta, or campden tablets. Whichever is most convenient for you.