Help my fermentation is stuck

[Eltenchiz]

Hi all,
I brewed a lager on Saturday and it never started fermenting. I think the problem was that I never made a starter... I would have gone and got a new vile of yeast but my local brew shop has been closed. So I was going to go after work today and buy one. My question is what happens if I waited too long to add more yeast? I know lager is very temperamental and like to give off nasty flavors super easy. Any suggestions? It's an American lager 11.25lbs 2-row, 1lbs flaked rice with wlp0080 American lager yeast OG 1.061 and it's been sitting in the fridge at 55-60F
Thanks a lot
Mike

 

[COLObrewer]

Well you could pitch another vial or four but lagers take a long while to start anyway, even if you pitched the correct amount of yeasties it would take longer than an ale. Sometimes there is little visual sign of fermentation on a lager also, how did you determine it never started? If you only pitched one vial of yeast they are probably busy building a few billion cousins to tackle the task at hand, have you checked the gravity?

 

[Eltenchiz]

I assumed it wasn't working because I see no pressure on the 3-piece bubbler...even if was just barely working I would think that it would still hold pressure from the release of the c02. Im not sure tho? This is my first lager and I might just be overreacting
Thanks a lot
Mike

 

[COLObrewer]

Step away from the airlock, it has no bearing on the indication or lack of indication that the brew is fermenting. Gravity readings are the only surefire way to determine if it is fermenting. Is this in a bucket or carboy?

The last lager I did took 7 days to form the slightest kreusen, but then I typically ferment my lagers at 45ish.

EDIT: You can go to mrmalty.com to calculate the pitching rate for any beer, I can't link you because my work firewall is hosing me at the moment.

 

[Eltenchiz]

Thanks

 

[g-star]

If you aerate/oxygenate and pitch the correct amount of yeast (HUGE starters) you will see a krausen in 12-24 hours for lagers too, even in the mid 40's.

Clearly, the OP massively under-pitched. Longer lag times lead to off flavors and increase the chances for infection. The best thing to do at this point is to pitch 1-2 packs of rehydrated dry lager yeast and hope for the best.

 

[COLObrewer]

. . . . . and there are numerous other things that influence fermentation, some of which are out of our control such as: Elevation, vibration, barometric pressure, moon phase, surrounding medium, to name a few. I've found that no two fermentations are the same.

g-star is correct, get more yeast in there if at all possible.

 

[helibrewer]

Get more liquid yeast, make a nice 2L starter in any decent vessel you have around the house. Aerate/oxygenate the starter well, shaking several times a day if you daon't have a stir plate...pitch it....do not aerate your wort at this point, only the starter.

If you are going to do lagers you should get yourself (or make) a stir plate. You really do need to do starters for lagers. I use yeastcalc.com because it does a great job with step up starters...I find Mr. Malty a bit clunky with those. With yeastcalc you set your starter size which I like.

 

[Eltenchiz]

Thank you

 

[Eltenchiz]

Thanks again guys. I went online and ordered a yeast starter kit and aeration stone pump so this won't happen again.
Mike