To hot/fast Fermentation on Perry

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BlueStimulator

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Well I had two 4 gallon batches of pear cider going. I used proper Camden tabs to both in the must and I also added 2lbs of brown sugar to one and the other I added 1.5lbs of honey. Put in yeast nutrient in them in the evening after pressing and rehydrationed some Nottingham yeast and pitched it the next morning.

The fermentation started in 2-4 hours then went like crazy boiling and finished in a 5-7 days. It was warm in my city 78-80 degrees during the day and 40-50 at night and these are in my shop so the were covered with towls for light and when I smelled them yesterday morning I smelled sulphur.

There was almost no bubbling going on so I read a few posts on this smell during the day and last night I racked them off the sediment added a little yeast nutrient. Added a little more brown sugar and honey in juice. Put the air locks back on and no bubbling this morning. They fermented fast and in the 70-80 degree range I am guessing. I think they may be bad but I am chalking this up to learning experience.

Should I dump or wait a few months to see what happens. Also what effects do you all think the high temp and fast fermentation will have on the off smells. I will use my hydrometer tonight to see where I sit. Thanks for any of your thoughts. I guess I need to regulate the fermentation temps better.
 
H2S is due to stressed yeast and not enough nutrients. You can start by racking off the gross lees sooner rather than later (sounds like you have done that) but not sure why you added more sugar. You need to see where its at, if you have an active fermentation going still. Did you move this to a carboy yet or is it still in a primary fermentor of sorts? Splash racking can also help to get rid of H2S. As a last resort you can try some reduless to bind with the H2S and get rid of it that way but sounds like you first have to figure out if this thing is still "alive" or not.
 
They were in 5 gallon carboys to start moved to 3 gallon. Added the nutrient so to take care of the stress and a little sugar to get some Carbon dioxide in the carboys if they both had fully fermented. I will do a hydrometer reading when I get home. I may buy a allinonewinepump the siphoning was a pain and would a vacuum help with the H2S.

Still learning as you all can tell with my terminology sediment=gross lees and not knowing how important tempiture is. Also bought a journal to keep track of all my notes/mistakesand hopefully "progress" as I start this new adventure. Thank you for your advice
 
Both batches of cider read at 1.009. The sulphur wasn't as bad tonight (more alcohol smell I think) and it looked as if there was still a few bubbles forming in the cider liquid. I for kicks and giggles racked it again as some gross less were in the bottom again. Should I sit on this for a few weeks or months to see what happens.
 
I suspect your ferment is going to take off again and finish out. Since you have already racked it, you have removed most of the yeast. It will probably finish out very slowly. Time to sit back and watch it for a while and see what happens. You can still keep track of it with your hydrometer. The reason I think it is going to referment is because you added more sugar to it and any live yeast will start eating them. Before adding more sugar to a finished ferment you have to stabalize it. That consists of adding k-meta and sorbate. Adding them to an active ferment will probably not stop it. Good luck with it, Arne.
 
Because I used Nottingham yeast and I add more sugar to the juice, I am also wondering if my Alcohol level may have killed off the yeast. Before the primary the Brown Sugar Pear batch was 1.084 and the Honey Pear was 1.066 I only added a little sugar In the hope of getting a little CO2 in the carboys on the second racking. Also I don't think I will ferment to 1.000 or below as I have read that in pears some of the sugar isn't fermentable.

Boy I have a lot to learn before my first grape crop comes in next fall. Still gonna get a kit to practice on this winter and again thank you for all of your help and suggestions. If you have any more keep'm coming
 

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