Stopping MLF

[Jonny69]

Uh, got a brew that won't stop

It's my cider from apples from last autumn. I've got some in demijohns and a load in a 15 litre plastic water container off a water dispenser. All of them have gone through MLF. I decided to stop the cider in the plastic container at a certain point because it was spot-on, so I syphoned it into a fresh container and added a dose of Campden. But I've just gone back up into the loft after a few weeks and it's grown a fresh MLF skin on top. I was sort of hoping the Campden would put a stop to the MLF, but apparently not.

How far does MLF go if you just leave it and what will it ultimately do to my cider?

 

[graysalchemy]

I have got a DJ with the dregs of an FV from 18 months ago still going strong. Just get it bottled as soon as you get co2 on it it will stop as it needs oxygen. :thumb:

 

[scott78]

How warm are you keeping it? I think MLF needs to be warmer than sugar fermentation. If you want to stop it then rack it off and chill it down, not sure how many campden tabs you added but if your less than 3 tabs/gal then i would add another 1/gal

 

[graysalchemy]

Oh no it doesn't certainly not warm here never gets above 15c in summer and a lot less in winter.

 

[Donny70]

If you leave it too long it will dry out your cider further.

 

[Jonny69]

I have got a DJ with the dregs of an FV from 18 months ago still going strong. Just get it bottled as soon as you get co2 on it it will stop as it needs oxygen. :thumb:

I had my suspicions! Plastic is supposed to be slightly permeable. I had noticed that when I've stored cider in a glass demijohn topped right up to the top that MLF does not start. The first time I saw it was when the demijohn had half a head of air on top and it only gets to a certain point and stops by itself until you let more air in. I noticed that MLF happens a lot more readily and a lot more in plastic containers. Rightyo, must bottle this up then :)

How warm are you keeping it? I think MLF needs to be warmer than sugar fermentation. If you want to stop it then rack it off and chill it down, not sure how many campden tabs you added but if your less than 3 tabs/gal then i would add another 1/gal

It's up in the loft so quite cool. I don't normally go more than 1 tab per gallon.

 

[graysalchemy]

When I said I had a Dj with dregs in it i meant that it was half full, so obviously plenty of air and oxygen in their. :thumb:

 

[tonyhibbett]

Sulphite should stop it, so another crushed campden tab per gallon after racking should do the job.

 

[graysalchemy]

Yes I read that yesterday that that is what is used in winemaking to stop it :thumb: