White blobs floating on top of primary

I just started a continental pilsner yesterday with a WYEAST Pilsner Urquell ACTIVATOR pack (2001). Didn't quite wait the three hours suggested before pitching the yeast. I kept it around 24C for one night as suggested. However, when I checked on it the following day there were no real signs of fermentation (fermenting in a plastic bucket) and there were several white blobs floating just below the surface. Is this a lacto infection? Any suggestions? I just pitched some more yeast to see if that helps.

Welcome to HBT!

I would say that your floaties are the yeast you put in there. It is not uncommon for liquid yeast to take several days to get going. Don't do anything to your beer except walk away and let it do its thing for a few weeks.

Do you have any airlock activity? Is this an open fermentation? You're probably experiencing a slow start up or lag time to begin fermentation. Sounds like the "white blobs" are just the yeasties beginning to multiply and flocculate. When that happens they will multiply and begin to devour those sugars in the wort. Let us know if you are seeing signs of airlock activity. That is a good sign you're getting some fermentation going.

Thanks for the info. It's an open fermentation, so I can't look at the airlock bubbling away (going to put in the secondary in around a week). I threw in some saflager-23 (dry) on top of the liquid yeast. Smells ok, so I'll just let it be for a few days. My first brew was an ale so it got off to a quicker start I suppose (Was delicious though).

Thanks again..

What temp are you fermenting at?

I say don't worry about the secondary, especially if its a lager. It might be two weeks or more before it is finished fermenting, especially with a lager. I started a lager last Sunday and as of right now it's still actively fermenting. Leave it alone, and when it's done, it's done.

First night I kept it between 21-24C. Now at around 12-15C. I will still rack into the secondary at some point so that I don't get any off flavors form the dead yeast.

Unless you keep it in the primary for 6 months or so at really warm temperature, you don't have to worry about off flavors from the yeast cake.

Keeping it on the yeast helps REMOVE off flavors because after the yeast ferments it cleans up its waste (off flavors).

Hmm...I guess I also don't want to keep it in an "open" fermenter for that long. But next time I'll just start it in the carboy. Thanks for the advice.

Things are looking a lot better this morning!

DMo said:

Hmm...I guess I also don't want to keep it in an "open" fermenter for that long. But next time I'll just start it in the carboy. Thanks for the advice.

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What do you mean by "open" fermenter? You're fermenting in a bucket without a lid? If that's the case, off flavors from extended primary are the least of your concerns.

no..bucket with a lid (considered an open fermenter because air can still get in). Closed fermenter has an air lock (usually a carboy). At least this is my understanding.

Nope. A small bit of air getting in is not really a concern. Even in carboys, some air is going to seep through the airlock and through the stopper. That's just the way of things. An open fermentation would be if you just left the lid off and welcomed foreign bacteria.

I have never had a problem with buckets, even on 6-8 week primaries. RDWHAHB, says I.

My plan is to dry hop with some cascade plugs. I hear this goes a little better in the carboy because it conserves some of the hop aroma. What's your opinion?