Well I’m stumped. I’ve brewed lots of cider and never had any issues but this time…
I juiced (not pressed) 4 gallons of apple juice and strained through cheese cloth. It still had between 1 and 2 inches of pulp settle out at the bottom of each 1 galling jug in my fridge. I put two campden tabs per bottle and let it sit in the fridge uncapped for 48 hours.
Then I warmed to ~80F, and dissolved ~2.5 cups of brown sugar in the whole 4 gallons. I added two packets of red star premium blanc yeast to ~1 cup of 100F water, let sit for 20 min, pitched into the juice, and divided in 4 gallon jugs with ab air lock on each. 3 days later the liquid in the locks hadn’t moved. So I made another cup of proofed yeast and pitched a bit in each jug. Now it’s been two days and I still see nothing! I’m sooooo bummed. All this juice came from my apple tree. I really wanted some nice cider this year. HALP! Should I pitch again? Maybe the campden never dissolved and bubbled out because of the pulp? Should I pull the air locks and put in the fridge for another day or two? I’m worried it would get infected if I do.
I juiced (not pressed) 4 gallons of apple juice and strained through cheese cloth. It still had between 1 and 2 inches of pulp settle out at the bottom of each 1 galling jug in my fridge. I put two campden tabs per bottle and let it sit in the fridge uncapped for 48 hours.
Then I warmed to ~80F, and dissolved ~2.5 cups of brown sugar in the whole 4 gallons. I added two packets of red star premium blanc yeast to ~1 cup of 100F water, let sit for 20 min, pitched into the juice, and divided in 4 gallon jugs with ab air lock on each. 3 days later the liquid in the locks hadn’t moved. So I made another cup of proofed yeast and pitched a bit in each jug. Now it’s been two days and I still see nothing! I’m sooooo bummed. All this juice came from my apple tree. I really wanted some nice cider this year. HALP! Should I pitch again? Maybe the campden never dissolved and bubbled out because of the pulp? Should I pull the air locks and put in the fridge for another day or two? I’m worried it would get infected if I do.