Howdy crew
Am a relative new-comer to brewing, having knocked together a few beers (which have come out fantastically) over the last couple of months, and now having a crack at cider for the first time.
So here is my issue. I sourced 20 litres of fresh apple juice from a friendly local juice bottler. I asked for it straight off the press, but he forgot. So he tapped off my juice out of the vat, after chilling and adding a 'little bit' of preservative. I let it warm to 18 degrees, then pitched a sachet each of champagne yeast and yeast nutrient.
After 24 hours, nothing.... So, thinking the champagne yeast had been killed off, I added a couple of sachets of yeast I had left over from beer kits. Now, 3 days later, still 20 degrees, the SG has dropped from 1.064 to 1.058, there were just a few bubbles in the test tube, and there was a little foamy krausen in the tub. It seems to be fermenting.... a bit.... It tasted good, and just vaguely alcoholic.
And so to my queries....
Should it be fermenting faster than this? (My beers have been done in under a week.) Am I wasting my time? How long might this take?
Thanks in advance for any advice....
Dave