How do i know when fermentation is over?

[WillG3]

How can I tell when fermentation has concluded within my vessel and the cider is ready for bottling?

As you may have guessed, I'm new to this :lol:

 

[evanvine]

Rule of thumb is:-
If gravity reading remains constant for three day, fermentation is deemed to be over.
Norm about 10 days.

 

[PD]

It is hard to know these things accurately unless you use a hydrometer. Did you take an original reading ? Have you had several low readings over a few days. If so fermentation will have stopped.
If you haven't used a hydrometer. its guess work.
Does the cider look lifeless, no tiny bubbles arising around the top edge. have you seen the cider fermenting normally.
If indications are that fermentation has finished, give it a little swirl and leave it 2 more days before moving on.

 

[Gayle]

It's harder to know for sure unless you took a hydrometer reading on brewday. Or if you have an airlock that has been quite active during fermentation then it should have slowed down to less than 1 bubble per minute, but airlocks aren't always reliable, because they don't always bubble! If you're really not sure then leave it for two weeks altogether, it should have finished by then. Maybe rack into a secondary FV to leave to clear for a week or two (or longer) before bottling and there should be no danger of bottle bombs!

 

[graysalchemy]

As evanine says when you have three days consecutive of constant readings then it is stopped. However cider is best left to mature in bulk for at least 2 months so it doesn't really matter. I would rack into a clean Fv and leave it some where cool under airlock for a few months then bottle. You will be pleasantly surprised. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

As I do small batches in clear demijohns, I just wait until it's clear. Then bottle, or rack for bulk maturing.

 

[WillG3]

I'm cautious about using the hydrometer regularly as this requires opening the vessel and exposing it to new air every time :?

is this acceptable in order to take the readings on a daily basis?

 

[graysalchemy]

Its fine I always do that. Turkey baster is a good way of getting a sample just make sure it is all sterilised inside and out including the bulb. :thumb:

 

[Thrupney_Bit]

If you want to know, with absolute certainty, that all sugars have been fermented out then you can buy diabetes test kit from Boots. It's around five pounds for a 100 strips. They are small card strips that you dip into your solution and will change colour according to percent of sugar present. Although it tests for the presence of sugars in urine but will do the same for any solution. The fermentation process will convert your household sugar to an inverted sugar and as a result once all the sugar has been fermented then you will get a negative reading with the strip, i.e 0% sugar present. I use this method for my sparkling wines so have spares to use with cider making. That said a hydrometer reading is a safe and accepted practice to confirm that fermentation has ceased (one which I have also used) and as long as you use this and prime with correct amount of sugar in PET bottles or crown capped pressure safe beer/cider bottles you should be fine. If you want to monitor pressure build up then fill up a small PET bottle (coke, fanta, sprite etc) with some of your cider. You can then feel how much give there is in the bottle and also release the screw cap at an interval to confirm exactly how much gas you've got!

Hope that helps.

 

[evanvine]

diabetes test kit from Boots

What an excelent idea! :clap:

 

[alanywiseman.]

is this acceptable in order to take the readings on a daily basis?

Why daily? leave it to ferment for 2 weeks then test then wait 2 days and test again. If different wait another week if not then it is done