Hi all. I think that I am pretty screwed here, but I’m hoping that maybe, *maybe*, just maybe I can salvage this batch. The problem is, I believe that the apple juice that I used contains potassium sorbate- normally I am careful to not let this happen, but oddly enough the half gallon containers don’t contain any, but the gallons did- and they are the same brand. I must have only looked at the half gallon jug and thought that I was good to go and didn’t check the gallons. After reading the “Cyser Issue” thread below I determined that I should make a large starter and repitch. So here is my full recipe and the additional pitch:
Start Friday 02/17 at 6:00 pm. Everything cleaned/ sanitized as per usual.
2 gallons of unfiltered apple juice (with the $@*%* potassium sorbate )
6LB Orange Blossom honey
Aerated the must for a good 5 min. SG was 1.119 must temp was 71.5F when yeast was pitched.
Yeast- 5g Lavin K1V-1116- boiled 100ml spring water. Covered with plastic wrap and let cool to 110F then added 6g GoFerm. Added yeast at 105F (did not stir). Recovered and let stand for 15 min. Afert 15 min stirred and let stand for another 15 min. Then pitched and gently swirled. Yeast starter temp was 73.5 when pitched.
At 9:00 AM on Saturday there was no air lock activity, no bubbling, or no foaming. 12:00 same story so I started another yeast starter... Just incase. So I started the yeast starter same as above then added 100ml unfiltered apple juice (WITHOUT potassium sorbate). I then doubled the amount of juice every 8 hours until I had about 1.75 liters then pitched Monday at about 2:00pm. Within about two hours, activity picked up and bubbled nicely and formed about a one inch thick head of foam on top. This morning at about 7:00 AM it was bubbling very slowly in the carboy, but nothing in the air lock (I know- never trust the airlock). Temp in the fermentation chamber is pretty steady 68-72F.
So, did I just waste 6Lb of honey and 2 gallons of juice and a weekend? Or is there any hope to salvage this batch?
Thanks in advance
Start Friday 02/17 at 6:00 pm. Everything cleaned/ sanitized as per usual.
2 gallons of unfiltered apple juice (with the $@*%* potassium sorbate )
6LB Orange Blossom honey
Aerated the must for a good 5 min. SG was 1.119 must temp was 71.5F when yeast was pitched.
Yeast- 5g Lavin K1V-1116- boiled 100ml spring water. Covered with plastic wrap and let cool to 110F then added 6g GoFerm. Added yeast at 105F (did not stir). Recovered and let stand for 15 min. Afert 15 min stirred and let stand for another 15 min. Then pitched and gently swirled. Yeast starter temp was 73.5 when pitched.
At 9:00 AM on Saturday there was no air lock activity, no bubbling, or no foaming. 12:00 same story so I started another yeast starter... Just incase. So I started the yeast starter same as above then added 100ml unfiltered apple juice (WITHOUT potassium sorbate). I then doubled the amount of juice every 8 hours until I had about 1.75 liters then pitched Monday at about 2:00pm. Within about two hours, activity picked up and bubbled nicely and formed about a one inch thick head of foam on top. This morning at about 7:00 AM it was bubbling very slowly in the carboy, but nothing in the air lock (I know- never trust the airlock). Temp in the fermentation chamber is pretty steady 68-72F.
So, did I just waste 6Lb of honey and 2 gallons of juice and a weekend? Or is there any hope to salvage this batch?
Thanks in advance
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