Microphobik
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- Apr 15, 2013
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So am am making my first cider in 15 years or so and have completely forgotten what is normal and what is not.
I bought some organic unfiltered juice with no preservatives, aerated with a good shake, pitched a pack of US-04 and set my temperature at 18 C (64.4 F). No sugar, nutrients, pectic enzymes or anything. Just juice and yeast.
Within 30 minutes it looked as if I was seeing the beginnings of fermentation. Later that evening and the next morning there was a krausen that looked fairly similar to that on top of bread yeast as it proofs.
But then later that day the krausen started to fall back. I got worried I was fermenting too cold so I raised the temp to 19 C (66.2 F). But by night it had completely disappeared. However I could still see a spritzy bubbling at the surface. No bubbling in the air lock whatsoever.
This morning (about 43 hours in) I checked on things and I definitely smell sulfur in the fermentation chamber (not so pleasant). But still no bubbles and all signs of krausen were gone. I'm using a glass carboy with a rubber stopper and airlock. I understand the possibility of C02 escaping but I have used the same set up for a long time and have never failed to see bubbling in the airlock, so I dont believe there is a leak.
I took a gravity reading and it's down from 1.049 to 1.035 so fermentation seems to be taking place. But this just seems odd. My experience is with beer so I thought I'd ask. Does this sound normal? A krausen >> then none >> no bubbles in air lock >> but sulfur escaping >> and not a lick of foam or yeast on the surface of the liquid?
Any input from those of you more experienced with cider?
I bought some organic unfiltered juice with no preservatives, aerated with a good shake, pitched a pack of US-04 and set my temperature at 18 C (64.4 F). No sugar, nutrients, pectic enzymes or anything. Just juice and yeast.
Within 30 minutes it looked as if I was seeing the beginnings of fermentation. Later that evening and the next morning there was a krausen that looked fairly similar to that on top of bread yeast as it proofs.
But then later that day the krausen started to fall back. I got worried I was fermenting too cold so I raised the temp to 19 C (66.2 F). But by night it had completely disappeared. However I could still see a spritzy bubbling at the surface. No bubbling in the air lock whatsoever.
This morning (about 43 hours in) I checked on things and I definitely smell sulfur in the fermentation chamber (not so pleasant). But still no bubbles and all signs of krausen were gone. I'm using a glass carboy with a rubber stopper and airlock. I understand the possibility of C02 escaping but I have used the same set up for a long time and have never failed to see bubbling in the airlock, so I dont believe there is a leak.
I took a gravity reading and it's down from 1.049 to 1.035 so fermentation seems to be taking place. But this just seems odd. My experience is with beer so I thought I'd ask. Does this sound normal? A krausen >> then none >> no bubbles in air lock >> but sulfur escaping >> and not a lick of foam or yeast on the surface of the liquid?
Any input from those of you more experienced with cider?