So, I'm overseeing a batch of Apple cider made from fresh-pressed apples. A 23L batch was started, with an OG of 1.054. The person who bought the juice was under the impression that it was pasturized, rather than sorbated, to stabilize it for sale -- but he was wrong.
If I had known that, we might have heated it first to try to boil off the sorbate, but I didn't know.
So, instead, I made a nice vigorous yeast (EC-1118) starter with it, added the standard amount of yeast nutrient, a little tannin powder and got it started. After about two weeks it was down to 1.022. I hit it with a bit of yeast energzier and nutrient and aerated it and waited another week. It's now at just below 1.020. As you can see, it's going -- but veeerrrry sssllllloooooooowwwwllly.
As it's clear that the sorbate is inhibiting the yeast's reproduction, today I added another sachet of EC-1118. I thought it might not be a bad idea to wait a few days until a batch of Pinot Grigio is done, then pour the lees from that batch into the cider to introduce a vigorous yeast population -- it is my hope that it would finish quickly and I could rack it ASAP.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could do to finish this off before spoilage starts?
If I had known that, we might have heated it first to try to boil off the sorbate, but I didn't know.
So, instead, I made a nice vigorous yeast (EC-1118) starter with it, added the standard amount of yeast nutrient, a little tannin powder and got it started. After about two weeks it was down to 1.022. I hit it with a bit of yeast energzier and nutrient and aerated it and waited another week. It's now at just below 1.020. As you can see, it's going -- but veeerrrry sssllllloooooooowwwwllly.
As it's clear that the sorbate is inhibiting the yeast's reproduction, today I added another sachet of EC-1118. I thought it might not be a bad idea to wait a few days until a batch of Pinot Grigio is done, then pour the lees from that batch into the cider to introduce a vigorous yeast population -- it is my hope that it would finish quickly and I could rack it ASAP.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could do to finish this off before spoilage starts?
