Primary Fermentation Seems Sluggish

[azsixshooter]

This is my first batch ever of hard cider so I'm not quite sure what I should expect.

I pitched my Lalvin K1-V1116 Saturday night, airlock was bubbling by Sunday night. Monday I was getting some sulphury odors so I added 5 tsp of yeast nutrients yesterday (to 5 gal of cider). After I added the nutrients the airlock started bubbling pretty vigorously (a bubble per second or more) but this morning and tonight things seem to have slowed down significantly and since I've gotten home from work I'm seeing small groups of bubbles come up about every 30 - 60 seconds.

I thought after adding the nutrients I'd get a day or two of vigorous bubbling, but maybe I lost most of the benefits since I added them 48 hours after pitching the yeast. I asked the guy at the brewstore if I should dissolve the nutrients in solution or stir them in but he said no, just sprinkle them in the pail and seal it back up.

I'm just wondering if this seems strange to anyone or is it perfectly normal/acceptable for the fermentation to slow down this much by day 4. So far I have opened the pail twice, once to add more apple juice concentrate and again to add the yeast nutrients. Both times I was careful to sanitize everything including my hands. I've swirled the bucket around a few times and that caused more bubbles to come up, but then it subsides pretty quick.

I tried searching around for any threads on slow/sluggish/weak fermentation but didn't see anything jump out at me. Any links would be appreciated if I missed something.

Thanks!

 

[MedicMang]

Sounds to me like you should quit messin with it. Seems to be doing just fine. For the next time, add your nutrients to the juice before pitching the yeast. Also, I don't agree with the Homebrew store guy. Add your nutrients in a liquid. Try not to bug it as much and refrain from worry. Mix it all up, pitch the yeast, then don't open it for a week or so. Bubbles do not mean anything. The only way to check how fermentation is going is with your hydrometer.

 

[azsixshooter]

Okay, thanks for the reassurance!

 

[Yooper]

It sounds fine. I stir my primary to help get rid of some of the c02, but only for the first few days. Adding the nutrients when you did is fine, especially if you were getting sulfury odors (the sign of stressed yeast).

 

[azsixshooter]

I'm planning to leave it alone until Saturday night and then take a hydrometer reading and see if it's ready to rack to secondary. Thanks!

 

[Hello]

My yeast activity seemed next to nothing until today, which is technically 2 1/2 days after I pitched. Yes, I was concerned but I figured I would wait 7 days before I worried. Today it is clearly doing something so I will just leave it. Now, I could be wrong, but I thought I read here that cider oxidizes faster than beer so stop opening the bucket if you're doing that.