first brew w propagated yeast

I brewed a batch of 'mystery beer' - meaning I used the random hops left over in the freezer from the last several brew sessions. the main ingredients were light liquid and dry malt extract, with some steeping grains beforehand.

I used propagated yeast, white labs san fran lager yeast. I harvested it from the last batch, washed with pre-boiled water, let it settle and pour of the yeast, discard the trub, etc. Then I made a starter (about 300-400ml) put it on the stir plate for a couple days, and last night brewed a batch and pitched the yeast after discarding the starter wort.

Initial observations - it has taken about a day to get some airlock bubbling going. I thought it would take off faster, but it did not, either because this is lager yeast and I have it in a 55 deg. F room, or because there is no getting around the normal lag period when you dump the yeast into a larger wort volume.

I think propagating yeast is interesting. Of course it boils down to the equation what is your time worth, do you get better results, or do you just enjoy it.

I like to do it because it can save a bit of money and time for me. If I order a batch online, I can pull the yeast out and get it started while my ingredients are on their way, so I don't have to wait to make my beer once I get the stuff.

Also, at 7 or 8 bucks a pop, I can re-use the same yeast several times before I have to get more as long as I keep it in good condition.

I love being as involved in the process as I can, and the only thig I don't do at this point is grow and malt my own barley. It's more about having a good time and enjoying the entire process than just getting beer for my.

As far as your lag time goes, I usualy use at least a 2 liter starter for all my beers, and this is especially important for a quick start in a lager which are slow movers anyway. I can get fermentation within an hour or two with a good starter, but I also can get a lag of a day or so, and have had lagers take almost two before. It really depends on what the yeasts feel like doing, and how well prepared everything was, but I am sure everything is fine. RDWHAHB

I assume you pour off the starter wort and just pitch the yeast right?

Yes, that is what I do. Make a starter, let it go for about a day, then chill overnight. When I start to brew the next day I pull it out of the fridge, decant, and let the yeast warm up to pitching temp.