Help - Cider not starting fermenting

[Lukejones01]

I have jusrt started brewing - and have sucessfully done 2 brews. ! was a Coopers where I followed the instructions. I then tried a recipe from the internet - OK result. Now I have brought a Cider concentrate (thought I'd make some for my wife) I followed the instructions which were in short -
1. Mix the Concentrat with hot water in the fermenter.
2. Add a sachet of sweetner (came under the lid.)
3. Add cool water to 15 ltrs.
4. Add yeat nutrient and yeast and mix.
5. seal up as per normal brewing.
So it then goes on to say the brewing temp for cider is lower and take longer etc...
I don't seem to have and much activity in the airlock. I cannot find anything in the instructions relating to adding sugars / dextrose and thought this odd at the time but I chose to follw the steps on the can.
Have I just wasted a good brew? If I do need to add sugar can I just mix it up as a syrup and add now. If so should I re pitch some yeast?

[OldEvan]

what brand was the cider? I think it is weird that it didnt say to add sugar.

Perhaps get a Gravity Reading, then another one tomorrow and see if it has dropped (or check it against your starting gravity if you got it), if it goes down then it is fermenting.

I have a brigalow cider fermenting at the moment and it shows no signs of airlock activity however it is definately (slowly) fermenting according to the gravity.

[Lukejones01]

The cider is called William Tell - Draught and it is from Southern Home Brewing.

I did not get a SC reading from when I started but I've just checked it and it's at 1035...I'll check again tommorow.

The temp on the fermenter is about 16 degrees and the room temp is between 14 and 20 accoring to my High/Low temp guage. I'm brewing in a 2nd bathroom so I'm going to add a heater with a thermostat to even out the room temp over the next few days.

I still have this nagging feeling I need to add sugar but I was unsure if I can do this after I've pitched the yeast.

If I do need to add sugars I have some dextrose (which I understand is the best type to add) So far as I've read I cannot see any reason why i can't add suger now as long as I can be sure I have live yeast & I use steril equiptment to mix it in.

[Chris]

I'd add a kilo of sugar, and re-pitch a yeast. Use 2 sachets of yeast, and re-hydrate them first. This brew has already had a hell of a lag time.

[Oliver]

Is there any yeast cake forming on the bottom of the fermenter? You should be able to see this through the fermenter. What about scum on the top of the brew? The temperature might also be a little low for the yeast. Maybe buy some champagne yeast from your homebrew shop and pitch that.

Here's some info on the Bacchus & Barley William Tell Cider kit: http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/kits_info.htm (scroll towards the bottom of page).

It will be alcoholic if you just make it up as normal, but to get about 5% you'd need to add 1kg of fermentables. Usually in a cider this would be dextrose.

If you want to add extra sugar, dissolve it in as little boiling water as possible then add to the fermenter.

See my No.35 Black Rock Cider at http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/ourhomebrews.html for info on how to improve a cider kit. This was my best cider.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Lukejones01]

Thanks guys - I ended up adding 1 kilo of Dextrose and pitched some new yeast from the local brew shop. The shop suggested I use a wine yeast and it has taken off quite nicely. I'll most likely store this for some time so I won't find out if it worked OK for at least 6 months.