Cider Issues - identical batches acting differently

Question

Here's a strange one. I pressed a large load of apples a week ago, getting just over 26 litres. I let it sit for a day in a single Fermenting bin with a dose of Camden to clear up wild yeast and a scoop of yeast nutrients.

I then transferred half the juice to a second bin, chose not to add sugar as the sp was coming in at a healthy 1.090, added my yeast equally, sealed up with identical air locks and left in a spare room. Within 24 hours, one bin was bubbling away quite happily, developing a good frothy top. The other, nothing. Slowly, over the next few days, it started to fizz but no froth and no sign of any bubbling.

After 6 days I cracked it open and it smelt pretty pungent which gave me confidence. I added some more nutrients and yeast and it fizzed away happily for a few hours, though still no bubbling through the air-lock.

Really don't understand how one bin can be doing all the right things whilst the other not so. Should I just leave it for another week and then transfer to Demijohn? Mix the two back together and then into Demijohns? Put in yet more Yeast? Is seems like its Fermenting but why no air lock action?

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Answer 1

It’s quite possible your second bin is not completely sealed and is leaking enough CO2 to prevent the airlock from bubbling. I’ve seen this with a batch I thought had got stuck, but after opening and re-sealing the lid the airlock started bubbling healthily.

Check the gravity against where it started - if its going down then all is well. If not, consider temperature - is it warm enough? - and maybe pitch yeast again if it is truly stuck.