Wyeast 2124 Slow Fermentation

[rkiser]

Hello all! I've been looking around in the forums for a couple weeks now. Very good information!

I have been brewing for about a year now but only have about 4 batches under my belt. I recently started all grain brewing. My first batch has turned out great. My second batch is a 2.5 gallon batch of a light lager. My friends and family all asked me to do something lighter so I decided to do just a half batch.

With that said here is my issue. I brewed the batch on Sunday. I used 2 row pale and rice and haas hops. OG was 1.051. I didn't make a starter. Just smacked the pack and shook up the packet and pitched about half directly into the wort while at 72 degrees.

It has been in my closet since. Wort temperature at last gravity reading is about 56.5 degrees.

I know it has only been a few days but I was a bit concerned that my gravity reading was only down 1 point to 1.050. This is my first lager so maybe I'm used to the rapid fermentation of my ales.

Should I be concerned or is it right on target for a lager yeast?

 

[DrawTap88]

The lager yeasts generally take 3 weeks.

I've used the 2124 Bohemian Lager yeast in two beers recently. One was fermented at lager temps and the other at ale temps. The lager took 3 weeks to finish, whereas the ale temp took a week (and kicked off a lot of esters).

 

[zgoda]

No, it's not normal. I'd grab 1 or even 2 packs of dry Saflager W34/70, rehydrate it properly and pitch (this is the same strain as WY2124).

Anyway, you should consider making a starter, the larger the better (2qt at minimum). This is really beneficial in case of lagers.

 

[rkiser]

Would pitching the rest of the Wyeast 2124 be beneficial? If so, should I make a starter for the remaining yeast? I'm guessing if I repitch, do I need to aerate it again?

 

[petep1980]

Next time you use this yeast.

1. Make stir starter @ room temp with 140grams and 1250ml. Ferment this for 2-3 days. It's a lager yeast, so it's slower.
2. Once it's done, chill to near freezing and decant wort.
3. I then make a starter 2500ml and 280 grams and I put this one right in the fermenter at my fermentation temps with the yeast from the first starter.
4. Give it a two or three days and then when you make you batch pitch right on top of this starter.

Once you have fermented 75% of your fermentation (about 55% atten for this yeast), begin diacytl rest for 48-72 hours. Once you have a stable SG rack to lagering tank, then chill to lager temps.

 

[zgoda]

Wyeast pitch rate calculator suggests that you either make 2qt starter from 2 propagator packs or make 2-step propagation from single package (2qt then 1gal) to achieve safe pitch rate.

Making starter from half of propagator pack would not help much now, better go with dry yeast.

 

[rkiser]

Wyeast pitch rate calculator suggests that you either make 2qt starter from 2 propagator packs or make 2-step propagation from single package (2qt then 1gal) to achieve safe pitch rate.

Making starter from half of propagator pack would not help much now, better go with dry yeast.

Actually, I may be wrong, but I used the activator pack which I think is different than propagator pack.

 

[rkiser]

Welp, it seems to be making some progress. I took another reading a few minutes ago and it's dropped down from 1.050 to 1.048 (overnight)

 

[zgoda]

Actually, I may be wrong, but I used the activator pack which I think is different than propagator pack.

In ideal circumstances Activator contains just barely enough cells for warm pitching lager. Where "ideal circumstances" means fully incubated package and over 75% viability (less than a month from mfg date). Wyeast is overly optimistic counting cells, you can safely assume the amount to be 20% less just after week since mfg date. Mr.Malty calculator is rather accurate in predicting yeast viability -> http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

But anyway, i'm glad the yeast finally took off.