Lager fermenting

[seckert]

Curious as to how long it takes most of you to have your lagers kick off fermentation. I brewed this past weekend and there are still no signs. So just wondering about everyone's average timeline

 

[skunkfunk]

Curious as to how long it takes most of you to have your lagers kick off fermentation. I brewed this past weekend and there are still no signs. So just wondering about everyone's average timeline

Take a reading. Lag phase should be done by now. What is your temperature?

 

[seckert]

It is at 11.5C. That is the middle of the yeast range.
I will wait a bit to take a reading since its only been a few days.

 

[skunkfunk]

11.5C is warmer than I like but acceptable, should take off fast at that temp. Did you do a starter? If it's dead yeast you want to know ASAP which is why since it has been a few days I suggest a reading. If gravity hasn't changed you need to repitch.

 

[solbes]

Agree on taking a reading. And hope you used a large yeast starter. Lagers need LOTS of yeast. That was the big difference between my first and all of my subsequent lagers.

I have 2L of yeast ready to pitch to my dopplebock this weekend (granted this is a lot more than a lager of std gravity).

 

[seckert]

I didn't do a starter. Didn't think I was going to be brewing when I did. I didn't think about that it might be dead yeast. I will take a reading this evening if no air lock activity.

 

[Fatt]

If you didn't do a starter then that's probably the problem. A single vial of Lager yeast won't cut it. You need at LEAST a 2L starter using a stir plate, and more if you're just shaking it every once in a while.

 

[seckert]

The yeast calculator says I am short by 22 million cells. So I pitched about 80-85 percent of what I needed to.
My question is still the same though. About how long does it take for your lagers to kick off?

 

[skunkfunk]

My lagers kick off within 16 hours or so with proper pitch rate. Assuming you did somehow not horribly under pitch, which we'll just have to trust your calculations (remember to select "lager" as it takes roughly double the yeast of an ale) you definitely want to know whether there really isn't anything at all happening or if it just isn't visible. You won't get the vigorous krausen and frantic bubbling like you did with ales, though my lagers do bubble quite a bit.

 

[jbsg02]

The yeast calculator says I am short by 22 million cells. So I pitched about 80-85 percent of what I needed to.
My question is still the same though. About how long does it take for your lagers to kick off?

5 gallons? How many vials/packs did you use?

 

[seckert]

The brewers friend calculator doesn't have anywhere to click lager. However I put in the exact type of yeast I used. If that is the case that I need double the cells then it is a way under pitch. Guess when I take my reading tonight I will know something.

 

[skunkfunk]

The brewers friend calculator doesn't have anywhere to click lager. However I put in the exact type of yeast I used. If that is the case that I need double the cells then it is a way under pitch. Guess when I take my reading tonight I will know something.

Where it says "target pitch rate" is a drop down menu. Select one of the lager pitching rates, depending on your OG, aeration, etc. If you don't use O2 and have a big lager you want the "high gravity" one.

 

[Gavin C]

What yeast did you use. What's the batch size. For liquid larger yeast an enormous starter is needed. Double the ale requirements of an ale generally. I think your numbers may be off as 22 million short would only be a target of 100 million. I'm thinking you mean 22 billion.

For a 5.5 gallon batch at 1.050 SG you need 450 Billion cells (brewers fried yeast calc at 1.75 million cells/ml/plato)

Your needing a 2 step starter with 2 2L steps

if using dry yeast the same calculator is giving 4-5 packets of dry yeast (11g packs)

Hope this helps you out some

 

[seckert]

Ok I found it. I clicked on the wrong damn one! I am short by 292 billion. I pitched about 25 percent of what I should. I guess in stopping at the lhbs on the way home from work.

 

[jbsg02]

Ok I found it. I clicked on the wrong damn one! I am short by 292 billion. I pitched about 25 percent of what I should. I guess in stopping at the lhbs on the way home from work.

Hopefully the damage isn't already done. You might try adding a packet of dry yeast like w34/70 and rehydrate

 

[seckert]

Funny thing. I couldn't get yeast since the lhbs was closed. So I looked in the fermentation chamber and there is airlock activity now. It was bubbling once every 15 seconds and as the night has gone on it is getting faster and faster. I think I'm just going to just let it go and see what happens. Especially since I can't get yeast until tomorrow.

 

[solbes]

Probably let it ride then. They've already reproduced a lot of times to get up to the required level.

I would tend to say it will not turn out fantastic, but may still be good. Fingers crossed!

 

[Conehead]

I pitched a boat load of WLP833 and my lag time was 70 hours. It took 17 days to get down to 1.013 from 1.052. I pitched at 46 F. My usual yeast ( WLP940 ) has a lag time of around 30 hours which I still think is too long. Beer turns out fine though, no lager off tastes.