1st Lager Fermentation - Questions

Last night, I brewed my first lager - a Vienna Lager with a recipe something like this:

9 lbs. Pilsener Malt
.5 lbs. Vienna Malt
.25 lbs. Carapils
.25 lbs. Crystal
.25 Crystal 20
.25 Crystal 60
.25 Crystal 120
4 or 5 oz. Cara-Munich
2 oz. Dehusked Carafa

1 oz Hallertauer (60)
.5 oz. Tettnang (30)
1.25 oz. Saaz (15)

Saflager - 23

Anyway, I pitched warm - at 75 degrees. I simply dumped the yeast packet on top of the wort - no rehydrating or starter, etc. Then, I cooled it down rather quickly. I anticipated that it would take the wort a lot longer to cool so that I could get some more warm time for the yeast. To make the story short - I was below the recommeded fermentation temp sometime during the night. When I woke this morning, it was at 49 degrees and it was back up to 54 around noon today.

Anyway - no signs of fermentation yet. Here are my questions:

1. Should I expect a longer lag time when using lager yeast?
2. Will my fermentation be as vigorous as it is with ale yeasts?
3. What are some ways to reduce lag time for lager yeasts?
4. Would it hurt to ferment warm for the first day to get the yeast active and viable?

I am hoping to see some activity tonight. If I don't I may start getting worried .
I did an ale last night, too. I pitched the Nottingham in it a few hours after the lager - that beer may be fermented out before the lager yeast even begins.

I just did a Lager with Saflager 23 but I did a few things differently. First, I did hydrate and proof the yeast while I was brewing. Then I pitched at about 66 dF and let it sit at ambient room temp over night. In about 16 hours, it started bubbling so I put it in my temp controlled freezer at 55 dF. I'm sure it took about 24 hours for the whole 5 gallons to drop to that temp so the yeast probably got a decent start prior to dropping. I checked in on it for at least two days and the ferment was not vigorous but it was consistent.

I did the same thing (no starter/rehyd.) with saflager 23 last week....I had no activity in the first 12 hrs....then checked after work (about 18 hrs) and it was going really good. I pitched @ 55 F....

Cheers.

1. Should I expect a longer lag time when using lager yeast?

Yes, especially if you cool it to fermentation temp right away

2. Will my fermentation be as vigorous as it is with ale yeasts?

Probably not, mine never are.

3. What are some ways to reduce lag time for lager yeasts?

Make a biiiiiiiiiig starter.

4. Would it hurt to ferment warm for the first day to get the yeast active and viable?

No, in fact most yeast manufacturers suggest that it be done that way.

Mikey said:

1. Should I expect a longer lag time when using lager yeast?

Yes, especially if you cool it to fermentation temp right away

2. Will my fermentation be as vigorous as it is with ale yeasts?

Probably not, mine never are.

3. What are some ways to reduce lag time for lager yeasts?

Make a biiiiiiiiiig starter.

4. Would it hurt to ferment warm for the first day to get the yeast active and viable?

No, in fact most yeast manufacturers suggest that it be done that way.

Click to expand...

I agree with all of the above. #4: Some debate about this one...people say that the makers of yeast print this info so that their yeast will start faster at and appear more vigorous but sacrifices some taste. I cannot say either way for sure. My Safalger 23 was almost finished in about 6 days. The foam was about 2/3 of an ale, and produced a sulfur smell for a few days which is normal. I have it in the secondary now.
My first one was a WY 2007...no big sulfur smell, scummier looking foam, and needed 10d in the primary. I still had scummy foam after 10d and strained it and racked it. By SL 23 foam resembled a smaller version of an ale, and the foam fell after 5 days- no scum.

Cheers.