WLP665 6 day lag time

[jony]

I brewed a Flanders red beer based on the recipe and mash schedule described in Jeff Sparrows "Wild Brews". Only difference was I used WLP665 because my LHBS did not have any Roselare. I pitched to an over chilled wort (57 degs F). It took a few days to warm up to the recommended 70 degs. I had no activity for 6 days and for the last 24 hours it's been starting to come alive but only about 1 bubble every couple of minutes. A very small krausen is forming around the edges.

My concern is the sach in the vial was dead. Date in package was best before 2/8/14. Should I pitch a small amount of neutral ale yeast such as S-05, or just leave it alone? Being as this is going to age for 18+ months I want to get it started right.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Calder]

You can pitch fresh yeast if it will make you feel better, but it probably is not necessary.

The bug mixes only have a small amount of sacc, to allow the bugs to have some time to get going before the sacc starts, so you can expect a slow start. 6 days however is a long time. I suspect the cold slowed the start of the sacc. It is probably a Belgian yeast which prefers warm temperatures.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Leave it be at this point, the Sacc is probably just getting started because you pitched it too cold for it's likes. I've had sours that people have pitched just like this and they make decent beer as long as they are left alone.

 

[TNGabe]

WLP665 has a ridiculously low cell count, as do all brett/bacteria/blends from White Labs. I've made a few beers with WLP 665 that are still aging and I strongly recommend adding dregs from a few wild beers that you like to your beer. I made my first one with 665 and US-05 and the other two with slurry from the first. I found them lacking in the complexity and character I find in the best wild beers and I think dregs will help that out a lot more than just adding a clean yeast. Hope it works out well for you.

 

[jony]

Thanks everyone. I ended up pitching a second vial of WLP665 yesterday and this morning I have a full krausen. I will definitely consider pitching dregs from a jolly pumpkin but was going to give the blend some time to develop first. Also planning on adding oak chips when everything settles out.