Yeast will not die!

[toularat]

Hopefully someone can help me with this cider. I posted a couple of weeks ago and I am still having problems. I will start in the beginning. . .
5 gallons cider (pasturized)
2 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
cote de blancs yeast
Started 10/7/08. Yeast worked fine. Seemed dead but I did not verify with hydrometer. Racked 11/20. No bubbles or activity and was clear. Racked with 2 tsp sorbate and 5 camden and 1 can frozen applejuice. Let sit a week and then bottled. No activity or bubbles.
Checked bottles in March and saw one cork came out. Opened a bottle and was very carbonated. that is when I posted to this list. I opened all the bottles and put them in a carboy on I think 3/25. I have alot of bubbles. I have degassed several times, and no longer any more foam. The cider is not very clear and if I stir it I get lots of tiny bubbles. No airlock activity, but still lots of tiny bubbles if I stir. Its like the yeast just won't die. I should have died long ago. The sg is 1.020. It is not coming down. Temp of the cider is 69 degrees.
So, any ideas? What should I do? Thanks for your help.

 

[Tusch]

Pot. sorbate and campden will not kill yeast. Its not what they do. They prevent renewed fermentation, once fermentation is complete because they prevent yeast repopulation/regeneration. Has the SG of 1.020 been constant for some time or did you just recently check it and that was what it was at? Because if the SG truly isn't dropping any more then the yeast are not produces more co2 so any bubbles in the brew are still just from the initial accidental carbonation you gave it.

My best advice is to not touch it. Let it sit for a couple of months. That should be enough time to let it clear and degass naturally. Plus the added time in the carboy, assuming you have been careful with sanitation and oxidation can only help improve the cider.

 

[PAC762]

...My best advice is to not touch it. Let it sit for a couple of months. ...

This is what I would do.

 

[Clayton]

why did not just leave it in the bottles ???
i know you may have not wanted sparkling cider but why risk wreaking the whole lot dumping it back to the carboy

 

[Tusch]

He had already lost of the bottles due to over carbonation popping the corks and there was no way to know if he would be losing more corks or possibly even having some bottle bombs. He said that those he opened to put back into the carboy were very carbonated which I took as ready to shoot a cork or blow the bottle.

For next time there is always the option to just recork the bottles. Remove the corks to release the pressure and then just recork them right there. There is still risk of oxidation but at least you aren't pouring the bottles out.

 

[Pogo]

BTW...Just for the record, toularat is not a he, toularat is a she...that is destined for greatness one day!

About your problem, toularat, I have gotten a gallon of preserved juice, by accident, and ended up getting it to ferment by pitching fresh yeast every other day. After the fourth pitch it took off and fermented out just fine.

So, I'm thinking that sorbating that, unfinished, still fermenting, batch allowed it to keep working, but at a much slower rate. But, I am amazed that it is still going after all this time.

Evidently, the yeast cells are not reproducing at all, and the few un-crippled ones left are having to do all the work, and it's taking forever.

Try re-pitching, and monitoring the SG until it bottoms out.

Does sorbate have a shelf life, maybe it was weak or something, too.

Who knows...anyway...good luck!

Pogo

 

[Tusch]

Ahhh my bad toularat. I haven't been assuming female since it is now the default sex for profiles and so many people haven't changed it. But now I know one of them is right! haha

 

[toularat]

Thanks for all the responses. I am putting it in my basement and leaving it alone for a couple of months. It's gotta be done soon. Otherwise, I will repitch the yeast.

Thanks again!

 

[Tonedef131]

The only way I have found to successfully backsweeten before bottling is to filter it at 0.5 micron.