Forgot to add Campden Tab before fermentation

I transferred to 2ndary 2 weeks ago…totally forgot to add a tab before fermentation…am I SOL? Can I add one now? Thanks for the insight.

Did you add your own yeast? If so, you may have a 50/50 chance of having something good. If you did not add yeast and just relied on nature, it might turn out great, but more likely will taste disgusting. Either way, just taste it and find out. Sulfury/farty flavors are normal and will age out, if you get any of that. But moldy or putrid vomit flavors would not go away, nor will vinegar or acetone. Keep your fingers crossed and give it a taste.

Thanks…so adding a Camp tab now will do nothing as if the damage is already done, it’s already done? And yes, I added a Wyeast cider yeast. During ferment, I had the typical “apple farts” smell as my wife likes to say. Smelled like normal cider fermentation to me. :smiley:

The campden at the beginning is only done to knock down any naturally present microbes, which will make it easier for your pitched yeast to dominate the fermentation. But to help with this, it has to go in before your yeast and preferably as soon after pressing as you can. But missing this won’t automatically doom the cider; I’d say you probably have better than 90% chance everything will be fine. Don’t worry, and keep it going unless you are positive it has gone bad.

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