Lager not taking off..why?

[MikeyPipes86]

I posted this in the beginner forum but no replies. Hopefully someone can help...

So I brewed the Brewers Best Oktoberfest kit on Thursday night which is my first lager. Everything else I've done are either ale kits or ale recipes.

Making it was smooth as butter: boil/cool/aerate/pitch. OG was right on point: 1.053. So I pitched the Brewferm dry lager yeast at around 11pm Thursday. After about 36 hours I had no activity so I went to the LHBS and talked to the owner/brewmaster. He said to repitch as lagers sometimes require additional yeast cells that the kits provide.

So I got another Brewferm lager packet yesterday and this time made a mini starter, pitched and swirled it up pretty good. My primary temperature has been right around 57 degrees in a dark crawl space.

24 hours later I still have no airlock activity or krausen so I took a hydrometer reading that registered 1.052; basically signaling no fermentation whatsoever is taking place now 60 hours in and two yeast pitches in.

Any one have ideas on what might be going awry?

 

[stixobutta]

Mr Malty says that a 1.053 SG lager needs 370 billion cells. That would be about 19grams of dry yeast.

60 hours is a little long but it could be for various reasons.

Did you direct pitch your first pack? Direct pitching dry yeast has been known to lose up to 50% viability because the yeast need water to rehydrate cell walls and wort is not as good at restoring cell metabolism.

You said you made a mini starter for the second pack. What do you mean by that exactly? Most dry yeast packs recommend a rehydration in water at 90 degrees. If it were me I would rehydrate as prescribed, then slowly get the pitch to fermentation temperature prior to pitching to avoid shocking the yeast with a significant change in temperature.

My lagers always take longer than I expect to show signs of fermentation. Even during peak fermentation the activity is nothing close to similar SG ales.

 

[MikeyPipes86]

Yes the 1st was a direct pitch.

The 2nd pitch I did with a starter of 4oz of room temp water and 2 teaspoons of corn sugar. Swirled it up and let sit for a couple hours and created a little head.

Then pitched that and stirred in well.

 

[barmyarmy]

Check your vessel for a leak, this has happened to me.

 

[MikeyPipes86]

I checked my seal as a potential culprit of no airlock activity, but ultimately the same hydro reading as my OG reading at 1st pitch is the main concern.

 

[stixobutta]

There is no need to make any sort of starter for dry yeast. In fact, sugars absorbed into the cell while reconstituting is what hurts vitality.
I'm sure there are enough cells to get fermentation started but they are probably highly stressed.

You could warm your vessel up to 65 to arouse some activity then slowly get it back to lager fermentation temps. Or buy yet another pack and reconstitute by boiling 1 cup of water, cooling to 90 add yeast and wait 15 mins. pitch that and you'll have a far better chance at introducing viable cells right from the start.

 

[MikeyPipes86]

It was basically just want the recommendation was on the packet. Several ounces of lukewarm water and a small amount of sugar...stir it up and let it sit for a short amount of time.

 

[Cyclman]

Low temp lagers need more aeration, how long did you shake the wort, it could take 4-5 min., especially if you are fermenting at 57. Corn sugar in a starter is not a good idea. The yeast like to eat the sugar, get "addicted" to it, then don't want to eat the more complex wort sugars.

I would warm it up, maybe add one more pack of yeast after hydrating it (100 degree water for 20 minutes in a sanitized pyrex cup / sanitized foil cover, stir, let sit 10 more minutes, then pitch).

Then, as soon as fermentation is vigorous, cool it down to lager ferm temps.

 

[MikeyPipes86]

Thanks for everyone's help.

As far as aeration, it was poured through a fine mesh strainer 3x before the 1st pitch. Wort had a big frothy head. The 2nd pitch I stirred in vigorously and created a deep whirlpool action.

I will check status when I get home from work today, hopefully I have something. If not I will warm it up and pitch again per the recommendation above.