pnwcider1234
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- Oct 20, 2020
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I think I had an infection in secondary and I wanted to explain what I've done to try an fix it and see if anyone has any advice on what I should have done and what I should do from this point on.
So first the backstory:
I juiced about 5 gallons worth of cider must into my fermenter for primary.
Added 5 crushed campden tablets
Waited two days with a towel over the lid stopper hole.
Added pectic enzyme (2.5 tsps) and stired, waited 1 hour
Added yeast nutrient (5 tsps) (diammonium phosphate)
Pitched a packet of Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast and stirred
Original gravity was 1.042
Waited about two weeks until fermentation was done (indicated by no more bubbles coming from airlock).
Measured final gravity and it was 1.000
Used a 6 gallon carboy to rack into for secondary fermentation.
I did have quite a bit of headspace, but figured I'd be okay because last year I also had a lot of head space.
After about a week I noticed the top layer started getting kind of dark; upon closer observation I noticed some white look specs.
So I figured I must have had an infection partially due to the amount of headspace in my carboy.
What I've started to do to fix the issue:
1. Resolve the issue of headspace by adding additional must:
Racked the cider from the carboy to a fermenter, there was about 4 gallons.
I juiced about 2.5 gallons worth of additional cider and add it on top of the existing cider (so about 6.5 gallons total in the fermenter).
The 'new' original gravity was 1.012.
2. Kill the infection:
Added 6 crushed campden tablets and waited two days. Without thinking I didn't just leave a towel on the top, I did put an airlock.
3. Start fermentation again:
Added pectic enzyme, stirred and waited an hour
Added yeast nutrient.
Pitched a packet of Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast and stirred
4. Wait for fermentation to begin
So far I haven't seen any air escape from the airlock.
To encourage fermentation, I moved the fermenter from my garage to my living room where it is a bit warmer.
However, I have another primary fermentation started in the garage (for a completely separate cider batch) and that one is going along just fine.
My question is what should I do at this point?
If I didn't see any air escaping the airlock within a couple of days, I was planning on trying to repitch yeast and just let it sit on top rather than mixing it in and seeing if that works; otherwise throwing it out.
So first the backstory:
I juiced about 5 gallons worth of cider must into my fermenter for primary.
Added 5 crushed campden tablets
Waited two days with a towel over the lid stopper hole.
Added pectic enzyme (2.5 tsps) and stired, waited 1 hour
Added yeast nutrient (5 tsps) (diammonium phosphate)
Pitched a packet of Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast and stirred
Original gravity was 1.042
Waited about two weeks until fermentation was done (indicated by no more bubbles coming from airlock).
Measured final gravity and it was 1.000
Used a 6 gallon carboy to rack into for secondary fermentation.
I did have quite a bit of headspace, but figured I'd be okay because last year I also had a lot of head space.
After about a week I noticed the top layer started getting kind of dark; upon closer observation I noticed some white look specs.
So I figured I must have had an infection partially due to the amount of headspace in my carboy.
What I've started to do to fix the issue:
1. Resolve the issue of headspace by adding additional must:
Racked the cider from the carboy to a fermenter, there was about 4 gallons.
I juiced about 2.5 gallons worth of additional cider and add it on top of the existing cider (so about 6.5 gallons total in the fermenter).
The 'new' original gravity was 1.012.
2. Kill the infection:
Added 6 crushed campden tablets and waited two days. Without thinking I didn't just leave a towel on the top, I did put an airlock.
3. Start fermentation again:
Added pectic enzyme, stirred and waited an hour
Added yeast nutrient.
Pitched a packet of Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast and stirred
4. Wait for fermentation to begin
So far I haven't seen any air escape from the airlock.
To encourage fermentation, I moved the fermenter from my garage to my living room where it is a bit warmer.
However, I have another primary fermentation started in the garage (for a completely separate cider batch) and that one is going along just fine.
My question is what should I do at this point?
If I didn't see any air escaping the airlock within a couple of days, I was planning on trying to repitch yeast and just let it sit on top rather than mixing it in and seeing if that works; otherwise throwing it out.