3 stuck (non started) fermentations :(

[deesloop]

The thing they have in common is they are all apples.
Apple & Raisin, Apple & Pear & Apple only.
That and they are all made in 30L buckets (the 1 gall apples went fine)

No activity in bubbler, temperatures about 22, everything sanitised.
Pitched yeasts at same time, used nutrient

Got a few supermarket juices going fine, plus a couple of tea wines so its not the environment, yeast or nutrient.

Ideas?

 

[Rodcx500z]

Buckets are not noted for the lids making a good seal, lack of airlock activity doesn't mean they aren't fermenting, take a hydrometer reading you may be surprised

 

[deesloop]

I've been monitoring the readings and after a week it hasn't budged.
I think there maybe some activity because there's froth and the pulp does tend to coalesce on the surface even after stirring.
Just dont want 80L of juice going to waste.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

How much juice did you use in each bucket?

How much sugar was in the apple juice?

How much sugar did you add?

How much yeast did you add?

Did you add nutrient?

What was the first reading?

When you take the lid off does it come off easy or do you have to fight it a bit?

 

[deesloop]

This was made by thinly slicing fruit and adding sugared water.
Volumes kinda depended o nwhat the tubs would hold - slicing apples takes a lot of room it seems.
However I'd say one tub has 22L, one has 20L and one has 17L.
Sugar was 700 - 900g per gallon depending on if it had raisins, pears or neither,.
Yeast 2.5g per gallon and I did indeed use nutrient. OG was 1070 for apple & raisins, 1068 for apple & pears and 1060 apple only.

Only 2 of the tubs have bubblers but the lids are pretty tight - entirely leak proof I couldnt say.
Might it be leakng pas the grommet? I dunno but it was a factory fitted version.
The 3rd has no bubbler but I'd expect a bulge if CO2 was building up, and it doesn't seem to be.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Having read that i would suggest like said above the FV's are not airtight i have two the richies one you have to fight to get the lid off and its 100% airtight and the airlock always bubbles the other is cheap and the lid is very thin and comes off easily this has never managed to push bubbles through the airlock.

 

[deesloop]

OK. The youngs bucket is very flexible, almost rubbery to the touch and has no airlock hole. Pops off no problem
The polish one has a far harder lid and doesnt flex anything like as much but seems fairly difficult to come off - not a struggle though.
The 3rd is a generic bucket - not marked and had to draw on the litre marking myself. This one I'll bet does leak.

I'll keep an eye on the readings then. One I believe may be active as the pulps layer keeps solidyfing after stirring.
Cheers all.

 

[deesloop]

Well I dunno what's happened but it must have heard me talking about them as one is firing on all 4 cylinders, bubbling like crazy.
The Young's bucket without the bubbler I can hear fizzing away so must be leaking out the lid - seldom use this bucket but too many on the go so had to bring it back in to service.

Cheers for the advice, hope the 3rd kicks off soon.