Slow or Stuck Fermentation? Cider Barrel

[SacredBrew]

Hello,

I'm not sure the members of this group remember me. I'm the fellow who was enquiring about a thin film on the surface of my cider barrrel this past winter. The barrel had not been bubbling since the end of december and I was worried about it going to vinegar. After much thought I decided that what I needed to do was heat up the barrel (which I did by wrapping it with gutter heat tape), add water to top the barrel off, add raisons to give the yeast some nutrient/energy, and add a small amount of olive oil to seal the cider off from air. I also noticed a leak of some sweet dark substance the color and texture of molasses leaking out the back of the barrel. I covered these areas with beeswax. The next day the barrel began bubbling again. It bubbled for three weeks. Then it stopped. In assessing, I saw that the leak from the back of the barrel had come back. Again, I covered it with beeswax. I took the heat tape off because it has been warm and was thinking maybe the cider was too warm. the temperature of the cider was 80 degrees upon removing the heat from the barrel. I then took a hydrometer reading of the cider, which read a low 1.023. I hope to take another in a week to see if it is indeed fermenting albeit slowly, or if it is stuck.

The 1.023 spg reading makes me think that I need to add some yeast energizer or something of this nature. I'm not interested in adding something manufactured in the lab sold in a bottle. I'm looking for something raw, from nature. bee pollen? peppercorns? more raisons? any suggestions?

The barrel began with wild yeast from the apples (no added yeast) but sugar was added from the beginning. This was back in the beginning of November.

Does anyone have anysuggestions of how I can restart or speed up my cider barrel fermentation?

Cheers,

Jonny

 

[SacredBrew]

Hello,


Early last November I put down 50 gallon old oak whisky barrel full of cider. It began fermenting with wild yeast from the apples (no added yeast) but sugar was added from the beginning. The barrel stopped bubbling come the end of December I think because it got too cold. Sometime during the end of february I noticed a thin grey-blue and somewhere in between translucent and opaque film starting too form on the surface and I was worried about it going to vinegar. After much thought I decided that what I needed to do was heat up the barrel (which I did by wrapping it with gutter heat tape), add water to top the barrel off, add raisons to give the yeast some nutrient/energy, and add a small amount of olive oil to seal the cider off from air. I also noticed a leak of some sweet dark substance the color and texture of molasses leaking out the back of the barrel. I covered these areas with beeswax. The next day the barrel began bubbling again. It bubbled for three weeks. Then it stopped. In assessing, I saw that the leak from the back of the barrel had come back. Again, I covered it with beeswax. I took the heat tape off because it has been warm and was thinking maybe the cider was too warm. the temperature of the cider was 80 degrees upon removing the heat from the barrel. I then took a hydrometer reading of the cider, which read a low 1.023. I hope to take another in a week to see if it is indeed fermenting albeit slowly, or if it is stuck.

The 1.023 spg reading makes me think that I need to add some yeast energizer or something of this nature. I'm not interested in adding something manufactured in the lab sold in a bottle. I'm looking for something raw, from nature. bee pollen? peppercorns? more raisons? any suggestions?


Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can restart or speed up my cider barrel fermentation?

Cheers,

Jonny

 

[SacredBrew]

Hello,

I know this is the mead forum but my question is relevant to any fermentating liquid.

Early last November I put down 50 gallon old oak whisky barrel full of cider. It began fermenting with wild yeast from the apples (no added yeast) but sugar was added from the beginning. The barrel stopped bubbling come the end of December I think because it got too cold. Sometime during the end of february I noticed a thin grey-blue and somewhere in between translucent and opaque film starting too form on the surface and I was worried about it going to vinegar. After much thought I decided that what I needed to do was heat up the barrel (which I did by wrapping it with gutter heat tape), add water to top the barrel off, add raisons to give the yeast some nutrient/energy, and add a small amount of olive oil to seal the cider off from air. I also noticed a leak of some sweet dark substance the color and texture of molasses leaking out the back of the barrel. I covered these areas with beeswax. The next day the barrel began bubbling again. It bubbled for three weeks. Then it stopped. In assessing, I saw that the leak from the back of the barrel had come back. Again, I covered it with beeswax. I took the heat tape off because it has been warm and was thinking maybe the cider was too warm. the temperature of the cider was 80 degrees upon removing the heat from the barrel. I then took a hydrometer reading of the cider, which read a low 1.023. I hope to take another in a week to see if it is indeed fermenting albeit slowly, or if it is stuck.

The 1.023 spg reading makes me think that I need to add some yeast energizer or something of this nature. I'm not interested in adding something manufactured in the lab sold in a bottle. I'm looking for something raw, from nature. bee pollen? peppercorns? more raisons? any suggestions?


Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can restart or speed up my cider barrel fermentation?

Cheers,

Jonny

 

[MedsenFey]

By the time a fermentation sticks, most things you can add will not help it to finish. However, adding 1 gram per gallon of yeast hulls may bind yeast toxins and help a sluggish fermentation.

I'm not sure if your expectations are realistic. How much sugar did you add? What was the starting gravity? Wild yeast are unpredictable and often have a lower alcohol tolerance, and it may be that you have some that are simply not up to the task at hand. If you want this to ferment dry, you may need to pitch some yeast capable of a restart; acclimating them per Hightest's instructions would be prudent. If you use a yeast like EC-1118 it can function at cooler temperatures that will suppress acetic acid and other bacterial contamination.

Endeavor to persevere!

Medsen

 

[Teromous]

I know Kevin has done some wild fermentation so maybe he can give some more advice, but it could be that the wild yeast won't ferment that low. I know some will go sub 1 and completely dry out, but with wild yeast it can be a gamble. What was your initial gravity reading? There's always the possibility that it's done...

Yeast energizer would be the way to go to kick it a bit, but looking at my bottle and reading your post I don't think you'll want to use it. I think bee pollen might be a natural substitute for yeast nutrients, the same way raisins are, but not yeast energizer.

 

[CandleWineProject]

This was answered by Andrew Lea in the Cider Workshop. Lea wrote a book on making cider.

http://groups.google.com/group/cider-workshop/browse_thread/thread/f1f3631cc38ac28d

 

[CandleWineProject]

Posted this in the cider forum, too.

Andrew Lea, who wrote a book on cider, responded to this question in the Cider Workshop. Andrew knows what he is talking about.

http://groups.google.com/group/cider-workshop/browse_thread/thread/f1f3631cc38ac28d

 

[CvilleKevin]

Before adding anything to the barrel, try rolling it to agitate the lees. That will stir up yeast that has settled to the bottom and you will get some additional fermentation. Now that the weather is warming up, that may help as well. I'd try that for at least a week or two before adding anything. If its still stuck after that, you can get yeast nutrient that is basically ground up yeast hulls. Go easy on any additives. In my experience the wild yeasts usually pick up some off flavors if the sg drops much below 1.015. At 1.023, your cider is at about the same fg as JK Scrumpy, which is a little on the sweet side as ciders go, but quite drinkable.

 

[Yan]

This was answered by Andrew Lea in the Cider Workshop. Lea wrote a book on making cider.

http://groups.google.com/group/cider-workshop/browse_thread/thread/f1f3631cc38ac28d

Well that was a bit of an... arrogant response. I don't know what people have against using pollen. It's got a whole whack of vitamins, including thiamine, and loads of free amino acids. Almost half of it's weight can be composed of nitrogenous compounds in the form of protein and amino acids. A lot better than a piece of raw meat. It's a perfectly viable option, and anyone whose seen a chemical analysis of the stuff ought to know that.

It can be rather variable in it's content, though. And it can also contain a lot of fungal and bacterial spores and cells, so it's good to boil it before using it.

 

[SacredBrew]

Well Thank you Yan,

how much bee pollen per gallon of cider would you recommend?

jonny

 

[Yan]

About a tablespoon per gallon is what I use for my meads. It seems to work well, but I've never used it to start a stuck batch before. I like the idea of using something from the beehive to feed a mead.

But be aware that depending on the floral source, one sample of it can be very different from another in terms of flavour and nutrients, and adding too much might give an off flavour. The pollen I get is pretty mild tasting as it is, so I'm not too worried about it happening to me.

But wild yeasts aren't as hardy as many wine yeasts, generally speaking, so it might have pooped out for good. If you can't get it to start back up, you might have to add a wine yeast to have it finish.