Wyeast question

Yesterday I brewed my first all-grain (and Lager) an Oktoberfest, OG was 1.061. I pitched 2 wyeast munich activator packs. Of course I though this would be enough yeast w/o a starter, but I dont think it is. I know its only been 24 hours and lager takes longer for fermentation to start, but should I add another pack of Wyeast or just hit it with a pack of S-23 dry. The current temp is at 56. I now know that I need to make a starter when using liquid yeast, but any suggestions. Should I just relax or add yeast?

Thats plenty of yeast. Forget about it for a few months.

2 packs is fine for an ale at 1.061, but you'd want about twice that for the ideal pitch rate for a lager.

It'll be fine, though, it'll just take a little longer to take off and might be slightly less clean tasting than with a bigger pitch rate.

Would it benefit it at all it I hit it with another wyeast pack in the morning? I've got a little movement in the air lock, maybe 1 bubble every three min or so. It's only about 30 hrs since pitched the 2 packs, I might just be worrying for nothing.

bmcmahan said:

Would it benefit it at all it I hit it with another wyeast pack in the morning? I've got a little movement in the air lock, maybe 1 bubble every three min or so. It's only about 30 hrs since pitched the 2 packs, I might just be worrying for nothing.

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No, you don't need another yeast pack now. The yeast get busy reproducing before they start fermenting. That's why you add some lag time- they had to reproduce to get going. Now that they've reproduced, adding more yeast won't be beneficial.

30 hours isn't too bad of a lag time, so don't worry about it! Just keep it under the top of the recommended fermentation temperauture range and you'll be fine.

Thanks for all the help, I've learned a lesson, Make a STARTER next time.

bmcmahan said:

Thanks for all the help, I've learned a lesson, Make a STARTER next time.

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doesn't wyeast come with a sort of starter?

Firstnten said:

doesn't wyeast come with a sort of starter?

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The smack packs have a sealed packet of LME/nutrient in with the yeast.When you "smack" the pack it breaks the extract packet and mixes with the yeast.So in essence I guess that is a starter.Works well.

blkandrust said:

The smack packs have a sealed packet of LME/nutrient in with the yeast.When you "smack" the pack it breaks the extract packet and mixes with the yeast.So in essence I guess that is a starter.Works well.

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It's not a starter. It wakes up the yeast, but it's basically just like rehydrating a dry yeast--it's not going to grow any extra cells.

A starter is used to actually increase the number of active cells so that you're pitching at a higher rate.

First AG is a lager? That takes a lot of guts. Good for you. I'm sure everything will work out.

SumnerH said:

It's not a starter. It wakes up the yeast, but it's basically just like rehydrating a dry yeast--it's not going to grow any extra cells.

A starter is used to actually increase the number of active cells so that you're pitching at a higher rate.

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Yeah not sure about the whole process with the activator they sell a "yeast propagator" also to make a starter, (I guess for the purpose to pitch many more cells) the cells are giving off co2 then I would imagine there is some budding.

I think I maybe screwed I picked up a AHS oktoberfest kit which came with this yeast, it was 100 degrees when I got home. Don't know how long the package was sitting out on the front porch. Boiled up the wort, smacked the activtor let is sit for three hours and no co2. Pitched it anyway. 38 hours and no activity.

I never used wyeast before normally I go with WL, I guess AHS was out of it because it wasn't a choice for the kit yet the instructions have it as one of the options.

Wyeast smack packs are just like White Labs vials; unless your OG is in the 1.030 range, you need to make a starter with them to reach optimal cell counts (both only have in the realm of 75-100 billion viable cells at packaging time).

The propogator is an even lower cell count (~25 billion viable cells at packaging), and probably want a multi-step starter to reach cell counts for pitching.

Bizoune said:

First AG is a lager? That takes a lot of guts. Good for you. I'm sure everything will work out.

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I figured go big or dont go at all. At about the 70 hour mark the yeast were going crazy, the air lock was jumping pretty good. Hopefully it will turn out well. I just finished brewing my second AG, a Black IPA, according to BeerSmith I hit 77% efficiency. OG 1.077