I'm usually a very patient person, and am very patient in my brewing process.
Except for one area: Yeast Lag.
I get all ninny if I don't see a quick start.
I generally do a starter, and the porter I did a few weeks ago had airlock activity in about 3-4 hours.
Did something different yesterday. Got 2 vials of White Labs WLP001 on Friday, took it out of the fridge about 8AM Saturday, did the shaking-burping thing throughout the day, and pitched into 68F/1.050 wort about 3:30PM.
Now here it is 9AM Sunday and still not activity.
I figured with 2 vials I didn't need a starter.
So, I say: Arghhhhhhhh
Anyway, I feel better now.
__________________ Primary:Drovers II Secondary:Trailer Trash Pillhead Blonde Keg carbing & conditioning: Drinking:Woodchuck Cider, Schwarzbier, Dalerweisse Wheat On deck: German Wheat
Did you look at the use before date? If it is older then a starter is a must do as there are not enough viable yeast to do the job. This is especially true if the wort is above 50 points. I also pitch 75 F yeast into 80 F wort as this helps them to get going and then I slowly lower to fermentation temperature.
__________________
Cheers,
WBC
Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier) Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor
“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”
“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”
The Use By date is Aug 12, 08.
If I remember correctly, WL dates their stuff about 4 months from when they produce it. So it was maybe about a week old, at worst maybe a month. So it's good from that standpoint.
I've always pitched at ferm temps and it's been working great.
I'm contemplating sticking a heating pad under it to get it up to 70-72 though.
__________________ Primary:Drovers II Secondary:Trailer Trash Pillhead Blonde Keg carbing & conditioning: Drinking:Woodchuck Cider, Schwarzbier, Dalerweisse Wheat On deck: German Wheat
I don't believe that at all bill. Pitching more yeast always shortens the lag in my experience. Even if you look at some of my youtube experiments, you'll see the overpitched samples take off way sooner.
That is true if you're pitching a cell count that has to reproduce for a full fermentation which is the case when you pitch two vial of liquid yeast. When you're pitching on a yeast cake or using a huge starter, it's going to take off pretty quickly even if you've oxygenated.
When I re-pitch WLP001 from the last brew at 80 F it takes off in 4 hours or sooner. WLP001 is a great yeast and is used by a lot of micro brewers.
__________________
Cheers,
WBC
Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier) Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor
“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”
“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”
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