# Apple Cider Problem



## EZE-09Z (25/10/09)

hi.....

im doing a apple cider which is a Grandma Norma kit and im not sure if this could be a problem or not.

ok here is goes,

the kit has been going now for 4 days now and im done a hydro test and the reading is 1010.....start gravity was 1041. now the test sample is super sour and also the sample is really really heavly carbonated almost like a bottle of coke as soon as you open the lid.also the fermenter has been bubbling like crazy like every 1 sec......temp is 22 deg consistant.

not sure if this is right or not. should i cut my lose now or wait the extra few days and see how it turns out ???? i tried the sample with sugar and its still taste crap.

kit details as follows:

apple concentrate
250grms light malt
750gms Dextrose
Lavine yeast
yeast nutrient


any imput will be grateful

cheers

Ernie


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## marlow_coates (25/10/09)

Ernie, if it's still bubbling like that then it hasn't finished fermenting.

It needs more time.

If it is still bubbling like crazy, then give it another week at least. Retest with the Hydro, and you should find the sample doesn't look carbonated, and has dropped some more points.

Taste tests during fermentation can be usefull for the experienced brewer, who has done a recipe many times, and can predict what may be wrong in the early stages, and hopefully correct it.

To the amateur brewer, it is difficult to tell how a brew will turn out from a sample during fermentation. So don't stress too much. 

Give it the benefit of the doubt. Let it ferment out, till you get 2 consective hydro readings over 2 days, then bottle and prime as usual, leave for a month or two, then taste and judge your brew.

I haven't done a cider so have no idea what to expect, but these are general rules to follow.

Good luck

Marlow


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## marlow_coates (25/10/09)

Also, it wouldn't hurt to bring the temperature down to 18C if you can.

22C is usually considered a little high, and the yeast will throw unwanted flavours.

Again, I haven't done ciders, so maybe this is the prefered temperatures, but just a general rule again.

Marlow


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## bum (25/10/09)

EZE-09Z said:


> should i cut my lose now or wait the extra few days and see how it turns out ???? i tried the sample with sugar and its still taste crap.



Do not tip it. Only ever tip a brew this early if the taste makes you want to be sick. You're still learning and can't be sure when it is stuffed for sure, right? So tip nothing until you know for sure that it is stuffed. 

This doesn't sound stuffed to me. Ciders are pretty notorious for being kinda yuck young. As are kits. So there is little doubt in my mind that this goes equally for your cider kit. Let it ferment out. Let it sit in the fermenter for at least another week after that. Bottle. Wait. Wait some more. 

Good luck with it!


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## QldKev (25/10/09)

As the rest have said, don't tip it.

Ciders should be fermented around 22 so that sounds ok; I would never ferment beer that high, but cider does like it warmer.
At 22 cider will take 2 weeks to ferment out, and allow another week for clearing. It will still taste a bit sour at this stage. Do not attempt to drink it for at least another month after you keg/bottle, it needs to age a lot more than beer.

QldKev


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## Screwtop (25/10/09)

EZE-09Z said:


> the kit has been going now for 4 days now and im done a hydro test and the reading is 1010.....start gravity was 1041. now the test sample is super sour and also the sample is really really heavly carbonated almost like a bottle of coke as soon as you open the lid.also the fermenter has been bubbling like crazy like every 1 sec......temp is 22 deg consistant.




Ernie I have done Ciders before. Your fermentation has achieved 75% apparent attenuation which is fairly respectable, except I'm not sure what you should expect from Lavine?? Yeast. At 22C I would expect some of the Co2 produced during fermentation is coming out of solution and still bubbling the airlock. The same as with all fermentation, leave it until it's done. Take samples until there is no drop in gravity over three days and it's done. Then prime and bottle, leave the judgement until it's been in the bottle for a month or two :lol:

Cheers,

Screwy


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## EZE-09Z (25/10/09)

you guys are legends !

was a bit worried i stuffed it somehow but you guys are great.

thanks again and ill keep you updated for future cider brewers.



Ernie


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## manticle (26/10/09)

QldKev said:


> As the rest have said, don't tip it.
> 
> Ciders should be fermented around 22 so that sounds ok; I would never ferment beer that high, but cider does like it warmer.
> At 22 cider will take 2 weeks to ferment out, and allow another week for clearing. It will still taste a bit sour at this stage. Do not attempt to drink it for at least another month after you keg/bottle, it needs to age a lot more than beer.
> ...



My (quite probably less than your) experience with ciders and the little bit of reading I've done on some traditional methods enjoy success with lower temperatures and longer ferment times. I have made ciders that are drinkable after a few weeks by treating like a lager (the yeast was tolerant to these temps though: white wine yeast was used).

That said - I'm pretty much in agreement with everything else said.

Don't tip it anything until you are sure it's necessary. Time heals a lot of things and very few brews taste at the end of conditioning how they taste during ferment. Ciders often smell and taste fairly revolting when fermenting. Ciders can also get down to 1.000 (although kit ciders will often finish a bit higher - my experience of a couple of them is between 1.005 and 1.008).


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## EZE-09Z (8/11/09)

just a quick update.......

my Cider is a raging success !!!!!!!!!!!!!


after 3 weeks conditioning and now 3 days in the keg all gassed up I had to give it a sample and im rapt !

I thought I was a shot duck a while back as I was following the procedures in the kit but they were wrong in the fermentation. it said only 7 days to ferment but this kit took 3 weeks and im happy I didn't toss it like I was going to.

anyway just thought id update and say thanks to everyone for the help.

just on a lighter note im doing Chappo's ginger beer and that's a brilliant recipe............ can wait to try that one thru the keg !

cheers all


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## Vetedizitly (14/11/09)

AS
thank you so much
im going to have to give this a try, ill probably follow your instructions to the word..Hoping youve done this before
this can really save me money because real apple cider vinegar is pretty pricy. Thanx again
By the way can i use mother found in the bottom of 100 organic apple juice??
When I do get the time and do this, ill post pictures if every thing works out

applestar wrote:


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