48 hour lag time question?

[RootDownBrewing]

So I wrote yesterday about making a starter with washed yeast and then pitching only to find no signs of activity 24 hours later. This morning (36 hours later) was much of the same, no air lock movement, and I lifted the lid to find clear brown wort.

I left for work, bought some Safale 05 to repitch dry, come home and now at the 48 hour mark, just as I'm going to repitch I see the air locks slowly bubbling. I pulled the top back again and see foam!!!

This is by far the longest lag time I have ever experienced. The fact that it literally took somewhere between 36 and 48 hours has me concerned with how under pitched this batch must be. I must have had a lot of dead cells in my washed yeast.

Obviously gravity readings are going to be key from here on out but what should I be worried about at this point?

I let it self rise through out the day from 64 to 66 and I'll hold it there until bubbling starts to slow then I'll raise it on up to 70 slowly.

Opinions and feedback welcome and appreciated.

 

[jonmohno]

I usually try to start my liquid yeast in the recommended 70 deg more like high 60's once it starts i get it alot lower like low 60's.I usually get within 24 hrs but mostly before and around 8-12 hr i think i got my process down.I just did one with some washed yeast i got 2 weeks ago and at 67 it began around 8ish hours.Im talking about my batches but the first starter all i seen was a little froth on it,i pitched that starter into my batch the next day anyway. Ill see how that turns out in a few weeks.
Your talking about your batch and not the starter right? What amount of washed did you use and how old was the washed yeast and what was your gravity you were using it in for the batch you were making or what is you expected abv?
I just started washing yeast myself and i think yeast nutrient may be a good idea in the starter or no starter in the boil or both.
Its already starting i wouldnt raise the temp,once you got foam its going.Nothing to worry about now,its making beer.Just try to stay out of it.

 

[RootDownBrewing]

My starter is always right around 70. This one was a 2 liter starter that was made 18 hours before pitching and was for a 1.051 gravity beer. The yeast I used was just over a month old and was from a similar gravity beer.

I pitched it into wort that was 64 degrees and thats where I kept it for 48 hours. I have a fermentation chamber with a small fridge that I had set to kick on if the temp got to 67 and when I got home from work it was at 66.

My typical fermentation process is to start the temp off a degree or two lower than the recommended temp and keep it locked in or let it self rise to the lowest recommended temp to encourage growth. Once fermentation has peaked and begins to show any sign of slowing down I then raise the temp a degree a day until I hit the higher end of the temp recommendations to prevent the yeast from completely dropping out and hopefully get a "cleaner" finished product.

 

[Dougan]

The longer the lag time, the more chances you give for a bacterial fermentation to take hold, so technically there is an increased risk for infection. But, I don't think it's a considerable increase (unless you know something I don't about your process that would make it more likely), so I wouldn't be too worried if I were in your place. If you get a gross film, or a 1.001 FG, you'll know, but my bet's on your beer will be just fine.

Did you use a starter?