dawn_kiebawls
Lawncare and Landscaping enthusiast
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- Jun 10, 2017
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I've had a batch of cider in primary for 3 days now with barely a bubble in the airlock. I was starting to get worried about it so I took the bung off so I could see inside (speidel fermentor, opaque plastic). There are a FEW bubbles ontop and there was positive pressure in the airlock so I took a whiff and about puked.
Here was my process:
Thawed out 7 gallon jugs of orchard juice (OG 1.050)
Poured 6.5 gallons into a sanitized Speidel fermentor (reserved .5 gallon for a starter)
Added 6.5 Camden tablets to fermentor
About 5 hours before pitching I added Yeast Nutrient, Yeast Energizer and Pectic Enzymes (dissolved in juice and mixed back in)
Pitched the whole starter, which was showing some signs of fermentation starting
Aerated by shaking and set to 69F in my ferm chamber
*I've never used orchard juice, pectic enzymes or camden tablets so I'm unsure if this is the root of the problem but I suspect it's just a shameful underpitch..
I didn't realize until it was too late but I pitched the yeast on its 'best by' date so I know there were very few viable cells in there and this is massively under pitched but I didn't have an option to get any fresh yeast in time. Should I go pick up a pack of S-04 and try to get this thing going and hopefully push some of the sulphur out, or am I stuck with it?
I would like to pitch some additional yeast though just to speed things up a little bit and HOPEFULLY keep some unwanted bugs from invading but am unsure if thats advisable or not. I will likely stop by my LHBS tomorrow for some more yeast anyway just to be safe..
Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks!
Here was my process:
Thawed out 7 gallon jugs of orchard juice (OG 1.050)
Poured 6.5 gallons into a sanitized Speidel fermentor (reserved .5 gallon for a starter)
Added 6.5 Camden tablets to fermentor
About 5 hours before pitching I added Yeast Nutrient, Yeast Energizer and Pectic Enzymes (dissolved in juice and mixed back in)
Pitched the whole starter, which was showing some signs of fermentation starting
Aerated by shaking and set to 69F in my ferm chamber
*I've never used orchard juice, pectic enzymes or camden tablets so I'm unsure if this is the root of the problem but I suspect it's just a shameful underpitch..
I didn't realize until it was too late but I pitched the yeast on its 'best by' date so I know there were very few viable cells in there and this is massively under pitched but I didn't have an option to get any fresh yeast in time. Should I go pick up a pack of S-04 and try to get this thing going and hopefully push some of the sulphur out, or am I stuck with it?
I would like to pitch some additional yeast though just to speed things up a little bit and HOPEFULLY keep some unwanted bugs from invading but am unsure if thats advisable or not. I will likely stop by my LHBS tomorrow for some more yeast anyway just to be safe..
Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks!
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