42hrs and still no signs of fermentation...

hopcop · 02-07-2012, 12:39 PM

Ive been brewing for a year or so now and never had any troubles with my brews. I ve never seen this before so im gonna give you the run down and hope to get some good advice.

Bock
2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast
10.5# Grain
Mash in at 153*F for 60mins
Iodine test confirmed conversion
Mash out 170*F 10min
Sparge 7gals 170*F
Boil 90min with hop additions
cool wort with IC in 20mins
Pitched yeast at 64*F
Cooled wort to 47*F over 12hr period.
Took gravity 42hrs later still at OG:1.050.

I usually get the fermentation going warmer around 70*F then drop it to lower temps when using lager yeast. This time I wanted to try to do it without the help of the warmer temps. Maybe I killed the yeast dropping the temp to quick? The smack pack was really inflated, so im pretty sure I had healthy yeast.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks to all who respond.

**Seven** · 02-07-2012, 12:45 PM

If you're brewing a lager and only pitched 1 packet of yeast without making a starter then you really under-pitched. Mrmalty.com says you'd need 368 billion yeast cells for a 1.050 lager beer. 1 pack of Wyeast only has 100 billion cells at the most but probably much less in reality.

I'm not very experienced with lagers but I would think that you should probably pitch more yeast.

KNOTSANE · 02-07-2012, 12:48 PM

You only need the lower temps when you do the lagering phase. I'd ferment in the low to mid 50 degree range. (around 53 or so) This should get the yeast active. When you lager, then you can drop the temp down to the low 30's. I don't believe you kill the yeast. Warm it up a bit and I'm sure they will get to work.

**kcpup** · 02-07-2012, 01:21 PM

I've used that yeast strain before for a couple of lagers. I fermented at the top of the yeast's recommended temp range. I did a yeast starter. I had no problems.

http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=132

Whenever I use a new strain of yeast I check out the company's info on the strain. You are at the very bottom of that yeast's recommended temp range. Since you didn't do a starter you did underpitch. Those yeasties are a bit overwhelmed right now and since you took the temp down to the bottom of the range they likely flocculated out.

I agree with a prior poster that you should get the temp up to the upper part of the strain's recommended range. Don't forget to swirl the fermenter to rouse the yeast. You might need to rouse them once or twice a day until fermentation is cranking.

It will work out. :-)

Cheers

hopcop · 02-07-2012, 09:14 PM

Thanks for the replies. Ive used this yeast 2 times prior and with higher gravity beers. I never did a starter with this yeast and got lucky. I didnt even think of a starter cause I had good success before. The two times before I also pitched at 70*F and let it start fermenting then bring it down to 47*F then drop it further to 40*F. Bring it up for a D-Rest 70*F for 24hrs then rack, bottle and lager at 35*F for a few weeks. I always thought i was lucky for not having any off flavors to leaving it that high of a temp the first few hours. I'm slowly bringing up the fermenter tonight and giving a few swirls to see if i can get things started.

When I do my ales I ALWAYS do a starter cause I harvest my own yeast. I should have just done what I do always when I brew. Lesson learned. Now to get my little buddies where they want to be.

Cheers

hopcop · 02-08-2012, 12:25 PM

I got the little guys happy again. This morning they were happy at work. Slowly going to drop the temp down a bit and Im on my way. Thanks again.

**Poobah58** · 02-08-2012, 12:37 PM

That yeast takes forever. My 1st batch had no activity for 8 days. I did a batch Saturday and I just got activity yesterday...
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=10863.0