First Lager, can the wort wait a week before I pitch?

[PistonHonda]

I brewed two days ago, pitched a Wyeast pack of Budvar 2000 at 70 degrees, and then put the primary in the refrigerator and cooled it down to 50 degrees.

No activity yesterday so I started reading and realized how much more involved it is to get lager yeast going. I went back to the home brew store and picked up another pack of budvar 2000 lager yeast. I made a starter this time but made another mistake by cooling it down at the first sign of activity. I have to leave town this afternoon for 3days and I wanted to pitch before I left.

Should I pitch this starter anyway and try again when I get back if it doesn't work? If I make the starter correctly next time, it will be about a week from now before I pitch. If the wort remains at 50 degrees with an airlock that whole time, do I have anything to worry about?

 

[mrbugawkagawk]

you need to get your wort down to at least 60, and pitch right away. and yes use a starter. you may get an infection if you wait to long. I would throw it down the drain, i feel it would be a waste of yeast.

 

[iijakii]

I think your wort and starter would be perfectly fine assuming you followed proper sanitation procedures.

BUT, I'd be worried about your first pack of yeast in your wort overly stressed and causing off flavors. That'd make me want to pitch your starter today. Depends on if you think your first pitch is just slow/delayed due to no starter, or if it's pooped completely.

 

[Homercidal]

Just add what yeast you have on hand. You've done what you could do this time. You may want to pitch more next time to start with. And there is differing opinion on whether you should pitch warm and cool, or cool both yeast and wort to fermentation temp, then pitch.

I think the first method is more likely going to require a D-rest later. I haven't had a chance to brew lager yet, but I'll be trying this out soon.

 

[PistonHonda]

Still no activity. I'm going to get a different lager yeast today, make a starter, and pitch again in a few days.
Should I try to aerate again when I pitch or is the contamination risk too great?

 

[Revvy]

What is this "activity" you keep referring to????? I'm really curious what you're definition is......

Lagers can be even slower than the 72 hour lagtime that we sometimes see with ales yeast. AND you may never see a single bubble either or it may have a slow rate, so please don't ever go by airlock bubbling.....For Lagers OR ales....airlocks are vents, not fermentation gauges...

 

[PistonHonda]

By activity Im talking about airlock bubbles or a krausen layer forming. Thanks for the encouraging info.

 

[Revvy]

Have you taken a gravity reading yet?

 

[PistonHonda]

I didn't take an original reading last week but I did take a gravity reading today. I will check again in two days.