First time making cider

[beerbandit]

I have collected the apples, pulpled them and pressed them in to a fermentation bucket over the past few days.

I did noticed on the final day of pressing that the apple juice already in the fermentation bucket has started to bubble.

As instructed I also added yeast and stored.

2 days later I have opened the fermentation bucket to check everything and have noticed there it a cake like film on top and it smells like vinegar.

What can I do ???

I have cleaned everything.. Stored it in the garage as its been too hot inside.

HELP

 

[cheapbrew]

Did you use sulphite to kill the natural yeasts? if not you may have got an infection. does it taste vinegary?

 

[beerbandit]

The instructions told me to add Camden tables just before bottling... I have read that I should add them before adding yeast...

Is there anything I can do or is it ruined ??

It smells like vinegar a bit but have not tastes it

 

[beerbandit]

The instructions told me to add Camden tables just before bottling... I have read that I should add them before adding yeast...

Is there anything I can do or is it ruined ??

It smells like vinegar a bit but have not tastes it

 

[VillageBrew]

Definitely not an expert, but the batch I set off this week had a Campden tablet in overnight before adding yeast.

 

[scott78]

i would leave it alone, a camden tab before adding yeast would have helped your selected yeast take over the ferment but there should be enough in the packet to overcome any wild yeast. you get some really bad smells off fermenting cider and it all passes without leaving any taste if you leave it alone to mature.
find a cool place and leave it alone

 

[beerbandit]

Thanks for that but what about the cake like layer on top ???

 

[scott78]

leave it, you can get all sorts, from crust to gel to while films on real cider ferments. if no air is getting in then its OK 99% of the time due to the pH and the alcohol levels. after its fermented and racked off you might want to add another camden tab to prevent oxidation.

 

[Personal91]

I have collected the apples, pulpled them and pressed them in to a fermentation bucket over the past few days.

I did noticed on the final day of pressing that the apple juice already in the fermentation bucket has started to bubble.

As instructed I also added yeast and stored.

2 days later I have opened the fermentation bucket to check everything and have noticed there it a cake like film on top and it smells like vinegar.

What can I do ???

I have cleaned everything.. Stored it in the garage as its been too hot inside.

HELP

what yeast and sugar did you use + did you throughly cleanse your equipment/fermenting vessels ?

 

[beerbandit]

Yeast that came with the kit... Sterilised it all before hand too

 

[beerbandit]

All seems to have settled down and have just checked it.. Seems to taste like dry apple juice, but the gravity reading is only .995 what went wrong.

Was stored in the garage so not too warm or cold

 

[scott78]

Im not sure what the problem is, fully fermented cider will have a gravity of 1.000 or less. without a starting gravity you wont know the % ABV