Did something wrong - not sure what this gunk is

[amazinglarry104]

This was my first try ever making cider. After I bottled it and stuck it in the fridge, this sediment at the bottom of the bottles started appearing. I'm not sure what it is, or what this indicates. Is it mold or something?

The first picture is right after removing it from the fridge. The second is after shaking the bottle a bit.

 

[Monster481]

Did you rack into a secondary to clear the batch of sediment? Did you add anything just before bottling?

 

[thelema5]

We'd really need a bit more info on your recipe and technique to hazard a guess. If you started with fresh, unfiltered apple juice and bottled it straight after fermentation stopped without racking it or setting it to clear and mature in secondary, than that stuff is likely dead yeast and suspended solids from the juice which would have settled out after cold-crashing in the fridge.

 

[MindenMan]

I will bet it's yeast and it is no problem in your bottles. When you pour out of your bottles, try to do it in 1 pour into a glass or something and stop before the yeast mixes in.

 

[The_Bishop]

That's *far* too much to be yeast. Looks like fruit pulp, to be honest.

What was your process?

 

[stella_tigre]

This looks like when I had pectin glump up in the bottom of my bottles. I used clear apple juice but added raspberries to the secondary without pectic enzyme. It looked gross but tasted fine, decant carefully off to avoid getting it in your glass.

 

[Monster481]

From start to finish this is my Hard Apple Pie Cider that's kicking out 10.1% ABV using pectic enzyme to get rid the pectic haze. My first time using pectic enzyme and was very pleased with the result. I have no sediment in any of my bottles after racking 3 times. Primary to Secondary, Secondary back into my Primary just to ensure most sediment was out, then Primary to Bottling bucket.

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[amazinglarry104]

We'd really need a bit more info on your recipe and technique to hazard a guess. If you started with fresh, unfiltered apple juice and bottled it straight after fermentation stopped without racking it or setting it to clear and mature in secondary, than that stuff is likely dead yeast and suspended solids from the juice which would have settled out after cold-crashing in the fridge.

I started with unfiltered organic apple juice in a gallon glass container (no additives). I added 3 oz of apple juice concentrate and pitched the yeast in the container right after opening it. Primary fermentation was just under 3 weeks. Racked to secondary fermentation (didn't suck up any of the sediment) and let that sit for about 4-5 weeks. Racked into a sterilized bowl and added stevia and apple juice concentrate for carbonation. Racked into bottles and let them sit at room temp for 2 weeks then moved to the fridge. The gunk at the bottom showed up after they sat in the fridge for a while.

 

[Monster481]

That sounds like dead yeast and sugar from the apple juice concentrate. What yeast did you use and what was the original/final gravity? A general question for anyone as I am trying to learn through this as well for future, is it possible the yeast had not ate up all the sugars and essentially starved during primary and when stevia and concentrate were added that it took off causing all of the sediment?

 

[stella_tigre]

Pectin....(edit) pour it out, and get some of the gunk separated out. I think it will look kind of like little blobs of gelatin, which would be pectin, especially if you did not use pectic enzyme. If it is more opaque, beige colored, that would be yeast. If the cider is carbed and dry tasting, and doesn't taste funny, it's just a matter of pouring it off gently when serving. Wastes a little, but not a total loss.