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I did an experiment with a couple brands of baker's yeast and I know that my conditions aren't optimal, but as I said, it's an experiment and it will probably taste horrible. But still, my ingredients are:

  • 1l clear apple juice (I know, I know)
  • ~60g added sugar
  • 1 packet baker's yeast

With those I did a couple bottles to compare the different yeasts. I think I should've reduced the amount of yeast, but most of it looks fine for now. It's been sitting on a shelf for around three days now and is definitely fermenting. However, today one bottle slowed down and I think it's also starting to clear up. This seems strange, but reasonable, as this bottle had the most rapid fermentation so far.

It shouldn't clear up this quickly though, right? As I understand it, naturally clearing takes a couple weeks. What could be causing this?

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  • When it comes to using ultra-filtered shelf juice, the fermentation haze comes from oxygen/yeast/sugar that is suspended while the yeast is churning. When the main fermentation is done (with bakers yeast it won't ferment much) everything flocc's out to the bottom and it would be clear rather quickly.
    – rob
    Commented Dec 21, 2020 at 13:48

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Bakers yeast has been selected to ferment quickly, as the faster it ferments available sugars the faster the dough rises and the sooner you can bake your bread. Whereas, beer and cider yeasts have been selected for flavour profile, and not rate of fermentation.

I have in the past brewed with Bakers yeast and if you keep the temps reasonable it can be OK, but will rarely have as clean a profile as a slower fermenting yeast.

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  • Thanks. Do you think my dough has already entered the last phase of fermentation and is thus clearing up?
    – TemporaryName
    Commented Dec 19, 2020 at 20:43
  • Unlikely that it is finished fermenting yet. I have made cider with bread yeast before and while it starts fast, it took over a month to finish and clear. YMMV
    – dmtaylor
    Commented Dec 21, 2020 at 12:13

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