Yes, another first lager.

[Boodlemania]

I made a 1L starter (WLP830) then decanted and threw that into a 1G starter. Let that ferment all the way, chilled for 2 days, then decanted and threw that into my 1.050 Helles at 6*C. I used an aquarium pump and stone from AHS to aerate the wort for 50 minutes prior to placing in the fermentation chamber.

12 hours later, I had a little airlock activity (bubble every few minutes) and no krausen.

24 hours after pitching, I have a light film of bubbles on the fermenter and slightly increased airlock activity.

This being my first lager, is this normal?

 

[passedpawn]

Yes, that is the way lagers go if pitched cold. Eventually, there will be a decent krausen.

 

[gtwarren1966]

Cool, seems like alot of trouble though when the Weihenstephen strain can be bought in dry form

 

[Boodlemania]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

After the 1G starter, I guess I had about 1/4 cup or so of DENSE yeast cake. I was afraid that I'd underpitched or screwed up some other way. I had decanted, poured a cup of cold bottled water (from the same fridge) onto the cake, and used a sanitized whisk to suspend the yeast. I then poured that into the 6*C wort.

(Per Kai's recipe and instructions here, I cooled to 6*C and I'm allowing the wort to warm up on it's own to 8*C. Fermentation chamber is set to 8*C.)

 

[osagedr]

Cool, seems like alot of trouble though when the Weihenstephen strain can be bought in dry form

+1. Loves the 34/70.

To the OP: sounds like you have enough yeast. It's not the same as ales when you see activity right away, although I have to say after doing four batches last weekend (2 lagers and 2 ales), the lagers took off a little faster (fresh yeast) than the ales, which were pitched onto slurry.

Think I'll do another two lagers next weekend, depending on what else is going on. Maybe another Helles or a Dorty; the other will be a bock. I'll use slurry from the 34/70 I pitched into my Helles last weekend.