I'm making hard cider-- Shortly after pressing, I added camden tablets
to my apple juice, innoculating with a wine yeast 24 hours later.
Being a first-timer, I misread the "recipe" and added too many camden
tablets-- For the PH of my juice, I should have added 150 ppm SO2 but
ended up with something closer to 190-200 ppm... I've had the carbouy
under airlock for about 5 days in the cellar (55 degrees F) and there
is no definitive yeast activity-- Did add too much SO2 and kill off
the yeast I added? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly
appreciated! Thanks!

Josh wrote:
> I'm making hard cider-- Shortly after pressing, I added camden tablets
> to my apple juice, innoculating with a wine yeast 24 hours later.
> Being a first-timer, I misread the "recipe" and added too many camden
> tablets-- For the PH of my juice, I should have added 150 ppm SO2 but
> ended up with something closer to 190-200 ppm... I've had the carbouy
> under airlock for about 5 days in the cellar (55 degrees F) and there
> is no definitive yeast activity-- Did add too much SO2 and kill off
> the yeast I added? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly
> appreciated! Thanks!
>
It is very possible that the SO2 killed off the yeast. Other yeast
issues include what was the age of the yeast. Was it past expiry date?
Was the yeast rehydrated properly? Yeast should be rehydrated in 40
degree water, for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes it should be stirred
to break up any lumps. Then add some juice to double the volume, then
wait 10 minutes, then double the volume again, wait ten minutes then
double the volume gain, wait 10 minutes, then add to the juice. I would
try reyeasting first. If not luck then you will need to remove some
sulphur dioxide with hydrogen peroxide, which it a bit tricky. See how
you go reyeasting, and perhaps go a double rate as well. If no luck then
get back here and I can go through sulphur dioxide removal. Do you have
any way to measure free sulphur dioxide? You might want to order some
titretes from presque isle, they are probably the most practical way to
go for the home winemaker.


James.

Thanks James-- That was definitely not the way I rehydrated the yeast!
I'll give it a shot!

James wrote:
> Josh wrote:
> > I'm making hard cider-- Shortly after pressing, I added camden tablets
> > to my apple juice, innoculating with a wine yeast 24 hours later.
> > Being a first-timer, I misread the "recipe" and added too many camden
> > tablets-- For the PH of my juice, I should have added 150 ppm SO2 but
> > ended up with something closer to 190-200 ppm... I've had the carbouy
> > under airlock for about 5 days in the cellar (55 degrees F) and there
> > is no definitive yeast activity-- Did add too much SO2 and kill off
> > the yeast I added? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly
> > appreciated! Thanks!
> >
> It is very possible that the SO2 killed off the yeast. Other yeast
> issues include what was the age of the yeast. Was it past expiry date?
> Was the yeast rehydrated properly? Yeast should be rehydrated in 40
> degree water, for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes it should be stirred
> to break up any lumps. Then add some juice to double the volume, then
> wait 10 minutes, then double the volume again, wait ten minutes then
> double the volume gain, wait 10 minutes, then add to the juice. I would
> try reyeasting first. If not luck then you will need to remove some
> sulphur dioxide with hydrogen peroxide, which it a bit tricky. See how
> you go reyeasting, and perhaps go a double rate as well. If no luck then
> get back here and I can go through sulphur dioxide removal. Do you have
> any way to measure free sulphur dioxide? You might want to order some
> titretes from presque isle, they are probably the most practical way to
> go for the home winemaker.
>
>
> James.

Your juice is too cold for many yeast strains.... Try warming it to
70-75 degrees

Later,
A. J. Rawls
Anchorage, Alaska, USA

On 17 Nov 2006 18:56:47 -0800, "Josh" > wrote:

>I'm making hard cider-- Shortly after pressing, I added camden tablets
>to my apple juice, innoculating with a wine yeast 24 hours later.
>Being a first-timer, I misread the "recipe" and added too many camden
>tablets-- For the PH of my juice, I should have added 150 ppm SO2 but
>ended up with something closer to 190-200 ppm... I've had the carbouy
>under airlock for about 5 days in the cellar (55 degrees F) and there
>is no definitive yeast activity-- Did add too much SO2 and kill off
>the yeast I added? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly
>appreciated! Thanks!

> Your juice is too cold for many yeast strains.... Try warming it to
> 70-75 degrees

I would agree with AJ, it is too much sulfite but not horribly so. I
would warm it up in addition to adding yeast if you have some.

Joe