Fermentis Safale 34/70 Dry Lager

I'm confused by the instructions for this yeast. It says to rehydrate at about 75F, or alternatively to sprinkle directly into wort, as long as it's no lower than 68F. But it's a lager yeast, and I planned to ferment a pilsner at around 50F. If I go with the rehydrate, then it's going from 75F into 50F wort. If I sprinkle, it starts fermenting at 68F, which is not such a great temp for a lager fermentation.

Anyone use this yeast?

 

The only lager yeast I use. With 34/70 you can ferment clean lagers in the high 60s.
If you prefer to ferment cold, the small volume of rehydrated yeast can be cooled to lager pitching temperature in just a few minutes. Once you stir the yeast into solution after sitting for 15 minutes, just stick it in the fridge or put the container in a bowl of ice water.

 

Thanks! That's exactly what I'll do.

 

I just fermented a liechtbier with that yeast and I didn’t rehydrate. I can tell you that it took almost 3 days for signs of fermentation since the wort was at 50F. Rehydration is necessary if the wort is in the lager range.

 

I pitched 2 packs of 34/70 without rehydrating at 53 degrees. I've brewed the beer 4 times with consistent results (including BOS out of 300 beers and winning a local brewery's Homebrew competition) so I wouldn't say rehydration is necessary but maybe it would decrease the lag time. I've turned this beer around within 2 weeks as well with the use of gelatin to clarify.

 

I also get a long lag time if I pitch directly into the wort, so I now I always rehydrate, then chill a bit, then pitch.

I've also had good results with Fermentis's S-189.

 

I have. Just sprinkle it directly on top of your wort as long as it is in the working range temperature of the yeast.
Just remember yeast will go dormant if it is colder than the working range temp. But it will die if its too warm.
I ferment in my basement and even though it is fairly consistent , it does sway a little from summer to winter ,like 20*F. I keep various dry yeast packets in my beer fridge in different working temps depending on when I brew and what Im brewing. You could also try Safale K-97 for warmer temps for making lagers even though it is an ale yeast.

 

Well, I brewed two days ago, rehydrated the 34/70, and still no sign of fermentation. Wort is in the upper 50s F. So perhaps a long lag will happen even with rehydrating.

 

One pack really is not enough. Lagers generally need twice as much or even 3x if its high OG.

 

The OG was 1.051. That wouldn't be considered very high, would it?

 

Not high at all. Give it a little more time, and I'm pretty sure you'll see activity. Can you see any accumulation at the bottom, if your FV allows you to?

 

My fermenter is white plastic. Can't see well into the wort to tell about accumulation. But I've had the same phenomenon with starters, where I see a gradual accumulation in the flask, but no head until there's quite a lot of yeast built up. Every thread I've read about this yeast indicates it's slow to start. I'll just wait it out.

 

Just checked at 3:50PM, about 48 hours after pitch. Success! I see some foam on top and can smell the fermentation. Now I know what to expect from this yeast.

 

I brewed a pils with this yeast a month or two ago... pitched 1 pack rehydrated into ~3.5 gal and didn't see any activity for 3 days. Pitched a second pack dry and was down to FG in 3 more days.

 

IMO, one pack even in a 1.051 lager is underpitching by almost half. I suspect this lengthened the lag time.

As far as sprinkling at 68 degrees. I think the recommendation is probably to help get it started. I would pitch at 68 degrees and as soon as I saw any activity I would then lower the temperature.

For almost all yeasts I try to find the optimum range suggested and then go about 1 degree below the midpoint of the range.

 

I think the instructions might be generic on all fermentis/saf products. I could be wrong. 34/70 is always slow for me from dry, so I normally do a small batch (5 gal) of a warm fermented beer with one packet (dry yeast is quite expensive here - I don't want to pay up for a second packet). It takes off much better/faster with re-pitches of slurry.