Too much sediment in my juice?

[paddyb]

Just about to start fermenting a couple of gallons of cider.

Apples were pulped with a food processor and then pressed with a 6 liter wooden slatted screw presse and straining bag.

The juice seemed to be a lot thicker and carrying more sediment than last year, but re filtering through a straining bag+sieve only removed a few chunks of pulp.

I've attached pics of my juice, now primed with campden tablets and ready by tomorrow to pitch the yeast.

In the pics you can see the carboy on the left has had about 24hrs more to settle than the one on the right.

Will it be ok to start fermentation at this stage, or should I try and get rid of more of the sediment by filtering/siphoning? Hoping to do this as a one stage fermentation and then bottle rather than do a secondary fermentation.

Also,do I need a little more headroom? The one on the right has already started to enter the airlock!

 

[bucketnative]

The sediment won't present any issues. If you want nice, clear cider, I would suggest using some pectic enzyme to drop more of the suspended pectins out of suspension. I would say that you need a bit more headspace in both of the fermenters. You're going to get some foaming that might blow off the bungs. IF these were secondary vessels, I would say your headspace is good, but the primary is going to be more vigorous.

 

[paddyb]

Thanks for your reply.

Is it necessary to add peptic enzyme before adding the yeast? I won't be able to get hold of any locally so will have to order online.

Is secondary really necessary? I was hoping just to leave in primary for a few week, then bottle condition.

 

[Drewed]

Pectic works best before you add the yeast, but isn't needed and/or can be added latter, it just isn't as effective with alcohol present.
You don't need a secondary, but it will help the cider clear.
You need more headroom in the bottles for a primary ferment.

 

[paddyb]

Thanks

Would something like this work:

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/14663/Cer...9024!&ef_id=WX8gXwAAAHW5GxZY:20170819232944:s

I might be able to get hold of some locally.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks

Would something like this work:

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/14663/Cer...9024!&ef_id=WX8gXwAAAHW5GxZY:20170819232944:s

I might be able to get hold of some locally.

No! You need the exact opposite- pectinase which is also known as pectic enzyme. Pectin makes "jello" and is to be avoided at all costs!

If you don't have any pectic enzyme (which breaks down the natural pectins in fruit), it will be ok. You just may have more issues with clearing in the end, but maybe not. So don't sweat it if you don't have any.

 

[paddyb]

No! You need the exact opposite- pectinase which is also known as pectic enzyme. Pectin makes "jello" and is to be avoided at all costs!

If you don't have any pectic enzyme (which breaks down the natural pectins in fruit), it will be ok. You just may have more issues with clearing in the end, but maybe not. So don't sweat it if you don't have any.

Thanks Yooper. Increased headspsce a little and cider is bubbling away nicely now.

I had just less than 1litre of juice left and have put it in a 1.5 liter plastic drinks bottle with a bung & airlock. A lot of head room, will this be ok for primary as long as I don't remove the bung / airlock (presumably CO2 will push air out and fill the head space)?

 

[Ogroat]

It's been my experience that there's no problem on half a liter of headspace for a primary fermenter.

 

[paddyb]

It's been my experience that there's no problem on half a liter of headspace for a primary fermenter.

Is this true if the whole fermenter is only 1.5 liters (i.e headspace is 1/3 of the vessel)?

 

[Ogroat]

Is this true if the whole fermenter is only 1.5 liters (i.e headspace is 1/3 of the vessel)?

Yeah. I regularly ferment one gallon batches of mead/cider in a two gallon bucket. No problems (yet) with oxidation because of excessive headspace.

 

[paddyb]

Ok, thanks. This one doesn't seem to be fermenting as aggressively as the others, so just wanted to check.