First Lager, 50% sucess/50% failure Yeast won't go

I brewed up a pilsner/cascade smash and planned to lager. I put 5 gallons in each carboy (10 gallon batch) and lowered the temp to 51*F. I pitched white labs American lager yeast in one, and Czech lager yeast in the other (two tubes in each). Now the american (6 days later) is high krausen, the Czech is doing NOTHING. Same temp, same everything!

I bought two more Czech yeasts and dropped them in and it's still not doing anything. I'm raising the temp on the czech to 58-60 to see if I can give it a jump start.

I wonder if anyone else has had something like this happen before? Seems like I should have stuck to my motto when I buy everything else (when possible); stick to made in America!

Are you making starters?

Hex23 said:

Are you making starters?

Click to expand...

Normally, I do. But I broke my 5 liter flask not long ago. I should have a new one this week (in the mail) but I wanted to get a beer going sooner.

the SG was 1051 and I pitched two tubes (per 5 gallons, so 4 total) . It looks as if it may have been underpitched....

And now the Czech has 4 tubes in it....

I am assuming you have checked gravity on both, right?

Checked the gravity before putting them in to each carboy. I haven't checked the American yet. It seems to be bubbling well. The Czech is not even bubbling, so I know it's not working. I have verified the airlock is holding pressure.

Since turning up the heat it appears it may have started to 'get ready'..... I see a few small formations at the top of the wort.

Before taking the effort to ask the, um, "brain trust" here, it would be helpful if you take a hydrometer to confirm that it's not fermenting.

when I used white labs yeast for lagers, I would take it from the refer and put the vial in my pants pocket, when I started the brew.
After a few hours of warming up and dancing around the brew stand it would always hiss when opening and start within a few (3-4) hours.