No activity seen from Roeselare pitch

[kbindera]

First time using Roeselare.

I pitched two smack packs of Wyeast Roeselare blend into 4.5 gallons of a 1030 beer (OG was 1067 and primary fermentation was done with Wyeast 1056). Didn't do a starter for the Roeselare.
I am seeing zero activity after almost five days. No airlock activity, nothing. I know this yeast needs 6+ months to finish out. But is it this normal to see no activity at all now?

Regarding temperature, I know Roeselare has a temp range of 65-85F. Batch was 68 when I pitched in the Roeselare (which I had at that temp too). I have gradually raised the temp into the upper range over this five day period (fermwrap on glass carboy). My thinking is to give the lacto in there the warmer temp it likes. Any thoughts on this approach?



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[kranak]

Mine took Sunday to Wednesday to show activity. One pack into 1.052 wort.


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[BryanThompson]

How old are the packs? You can add some yeast if you are really worried. Belgians work well with Roeselare.

 

[Calder]

At 5 days I think I would pitch some regular sacc (Belgian if you have it), to make sure the brett doesn't becone the prinary fermenter.

 

[Sleepyemt]

Sounds normal, you pitched after fermenting with 1056, so the sac in the rose won't have anything to go on, just the bugs and Brett. That will get going with time


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[BryanThompson]

Oh, I missed that it wasn't the primary fermenting strain. Everything is fine then.

 

[kbindera]

Thanks for the feedback.


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[kbindera]

Just wanted to loop back on this in case others will benefit. Seeing the beginnings of a pellicle today, 3 weeks in.


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[BryanThompson]

Awesome, sounds like you are on your way to a great sour.

 

[Wingston75]

I'm currently experiencing this but with roeselare in primary. It's been 30+ hours since I pitched and no sign of airlock activity or krausen. Smack pack was dated 3mth ago so not ancient - I've used older fine - but didn't swellmuch on brew day.

Am I being hasty after such a short space of time? And planning for a non-starter, is there a particular belgian strain to use that would be best suited to get it underway?

 

[Calder]

I'm currently experiencing this but with roeselare in primary. It's been 30+ hours since I pitched and no sign of airlock activity or krausen. Smack pack was dated 3mth ago so not ancient - I've used older fine - but didn't swellmuch on brew day.

Am I being hasty after such a short space of time? And planning for a non-starter, is there a particular belgian strain to use that would be best suited to get it underway?

Actually, when using a sour mix, you want as long a delay as possible - that is a good thing. It allows the bugs to start building their colonies before the sacc starts to create alcohol, which will slow them down. The longer lag at the start, will make it sour quicker ...... it will still be many many months/year though.

These sour mixes deliberately have a low number of sacc cells, for this very purpose; to make it slow to start. That is why it is recommended to NOT make a starter with them.

Start worrying if you have no activity by day 4; at which point, pitch any Belgian strain you have handy. I expect you will be fine.

My notes from my last one with Roeselare. The pack was about 6 months old. "After 1.5 days, no activity. Some activity at 2 days. An inch of kraeusen after 2.5 days." This activity started quicker than I wanted it to.

 

[Wingston75]

Actually, when using a sour mix, you want as long a delay as possible - that is a good thing. It allows the bugs to start building their colonies before the sacc starts to create alcohol, which will slow them down. The longer lag at the start, will make it sour quicker ...... it will still be many many months/year though.



These sour mixes deliberately have a low number of sacc cells, for this very purpose; to make it slow to start. That is why it is recommended to NOT make a starter with them.



Start worrying if you have no activity by day 4; at which point, pitch any Belgian strain you have handy. I expect you will be fine.



My notes from my last one with Roeselare. The pack was about 6 months old. "After 1.5 days, no activity. Some activity at 2 days. An inch of kraeusen after 2.5 days." This activity started quicker than I wanted it to.

Thanks, Calder - you reassured me there ! As of this evening, I can now also see some airlock activity and about a centimetre of krausen.

When I pitched the yeast on Saturday, I also dumped in the swirled up dregs from the bottom of a 1/3 imperial gallon that was over from the flanders red I brewed last year (having discarded the majority of the wort, whilst trying to jettison the pellicle off the top - hope that was the right thing and that I shouldn't have dumped in as much of dregs as I could).

I've read that generations 2 and 3 take a sizeable leap in sourness so I'm looking forward to seeing with these dregs can give this years one. I sampled my '13 and it's not as sour as I'd ideally want it. Pleasant enough though and definitely that flanders red character coming through...


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[Wingston75]

[deleted as duplicate of above]