Cider very slow to start fermenting?

[jeffceo24]

Hi, its my first time making cider. I put 5 gallons of pasteurized store bought apple juice and sugar in a 6 gallon bucket fermentor. (basically Pappy's Pub Cider with a little less sugar) I used one packet of Red Star Pasteur Blanc champagne yeast and 2 teaspoons of Fermax. The fermentor is in my basement at around 65 degrees.

It has been just about 3 days now and I don't see any airlock activity. I carefully peaked through the airlock hole and there was a minimal cloudiness to the juice and some tiny bubbles on top. No major signs of fermentation though. Should I pitch another packet or two of yeast? Did I do something wrong? The juice does not have potassium sorbate or any preservatives per the label. Thanks!

 

[TechFanMD]

I'd be patient. It will not have a krausen like beer (except sometimes for whatever reason if it really blows away suddenly it gets foamy).

Airlock activity doesn't indicate fermentation - especially with a bucket. You may have a small leak somewhere letting the CO2 out (common) and it's no big deal. My bet is that it is fermenting just fine.

FWIW I have something similar going now, but in a carboy....and just to look at the surface, other than cloudiness and some small bubbles, you wouldn't know. I have a tight bung and a blowoff tube, so I can see/hear it going. On one of my buckets, I often get little air lock activity because there s a small leak somewhere if I don't get the lid just right.....and I don't really care.

 

[Maylar]

Airlock activity doesn't indicate fermentation - especially with a bucket. You may have a small leak somewhere letting the CO2 out (common) and it's no big deal. My bet is that it is fermenting just fine.

This ^^^

It's surprising how much resistance an airlock has to CO2 pressure. The slightest leak anywhere and the gas will find it instead of bubbling. I once had no bubbles in an obviously active carboy and it turned out to be the airlock wasn't pressed into the rubber bung far enough.

 

[jeffceo24]

Thanks TechFanMD and Maylor. You guys are totally correct. I can now hear it fermenting away in the bucket if I put my ear up to it. I can smell a little apple yeasty smell around the lid so it must be leaking around the lid somewhere. Hopefully the lid itself will be enough of an airlock to get through the fermentation. Thanks guys!