Natural yeast problem, could anyone help?

[deebee123]

Hi,

I wondered if anyone could offer any advice. For the past 3 years my partner and I have been making cider using juice pressed from his parent’s apple tree. We are very much inexperienced but the previous two years we have managed to make a palatable cider by following guide books and advice from internet sites.
This year we decided to try a more natural method and missed out the Campden tabs, malic acid, pectolase etc. Basically we did the following -

Ensured everything was sterilised and scrupulously clean
Pressed apples and collected juice in fermentation bucket
Added sugar syrup to raise S.G
Covered with lid and put cotton wool in the bung
Stored in a dining room (same room we have used for fermenting before with no issues)

This was completed on Sat (12th Oct) afternoon and so far nothing is happening. I am aware that natural yeast method only works in approx 7/10 attempts. But from some online research I have seen people making starters and doing lots of other strange things to ensure yeast growth, I fear we have made a grave error and have simplified the natural yeast method. Could anyone advise?

Is this normal or have we ruined the juice?
Should we leave it a few more days and see what happens?
Can this be rescued in any way?

Thankyou in anticipation

 

[skadalajara]

Wild yeasts can take longer to begin fermenting. They can also ferment less vigorously than lab cultures. And they can be out-competed by other organisms.
Additionally, if the apples were treated in any way prior to or after harvest, the wild yeast may not be viable.
Were it my must, I'd wait another week before doing anything. Then take hydrometer readings to see if anything's happening.

 

[Con-Rad]

i was nervous about my naturally fermented cider not working as i compared it to my carboys with wine yeast that were bubbling away like crazy. it ended up bubbling after about a week or two, and it's still bubbling slowly but surely for about two weeks now. it also made a lot more yeasty looking goo floating on the surface.

conrad