Fermentation started right after air-locking, but stopped after a few hours

I have 30L of pressed apples. After getting the wild yeast started in one week, I put an air-lock on. This is how my carboy looked right after that operation:

I used organic raw apple cider vinegar as a sanitizing solution in the air-lock. Hope that was a good idea. Anyways, air-lock bubbled for an hour or so right after being set, but after one hour, air-lock activity has stopped. Still, there's a healthy couple fingers of foam on top of the brew, just like in the original picture.

Should I espect air-lock activity to come back within the next few hours/days? Is it normal to get good air-lock activity right after air-locking the carboy and then having it stopped for a while?

I'm a beginner so hope this question is still interesting! Any advice is welcome.

Topic airlock wild-yeast fermentation cider homebrew

Category Mac

1
answered at

Get that vinegar out of there. Your entire batch could turn to vinegar, as it is obviously not a good sanitizer for acetobacter vinegar-producing bacteria! I use vodka in mine, and Everclear would work even better.

What you see on top is just foam from initial pouring of the yeast or juice into the fermenter and/or off-gassing from same. That is not what fermentation looks like. It will take several days before you see actual fermentation. Be patient, replace the vinegar in the airlock, and it should all work out.

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