Lag times-how long too long?

[BrewDey]

I brewed a Dubbel the other night and had made a starter the day before (just as the wiki instructs) with WLP500. The wort is pretty high gravity (8.5 lbs DME; about a lb. of turbinado sugar). When I pitched it, it looked like the yeast reproduced pretty quick and collected at the bottom...but it's been about 36 hours and no visible activity. I'm trying to keep the temp in range (~68 deg.) using the 'swamp bucket' method...this is well within the optimal temp for this yeast. How long should I wait before worrying and/or re-pitching?

Also, the recipe calls for the 1st 24 hrs. at 68, then down to 60 for another day, then back to 68 for the rest of fermentation...I'm assuming I should begin counting these days once it actually gets going?

 

[jdoiv]

I wouldn't worry about it for 72 hours. The yeast are probably in shock having gone into such a high sugar environment. I'll bet it will start up before 48 hours but may take a little longer.
I would begin counting once I see krausen or airlock activity. Keep a close eye on the temp, Those yeast will put out some heat once they get to munching on all that sugary wort.

 

[jpuf]

I haven't had lag issues since I started oxygenating my wort. The brew is usually perking away in 5 or 6 hours. Just a thought.

 

[david_42]

Start your count when the fermentation actually starts (should be within 72 hours). Haven't run across doing abrupt temperature changes like that, intentionally shocking the yeast. But I've never done a Duppel.

 

[fatboy570]

You might swirl or shake your fermenter to get the yeast back into suspension, it may have got a bit too cold and just dropped to the bottom or maybe just a lack of aeration at pitching

 

[BrewDey]

It finally got going pretty well after about 72 hours, now it's cranking away. Odd though, because the fermentation (particles, krausen, smell) is almost dead on what the WLP011 European Ale looked like for the Alt. I just hope they didn't mis-label the vial!

Had it down to 57-60 degrees for a little over a day, now I'm adding less ice bottles to the swamp bucket to bring it to the upper 60s. I'd imagine temp changes will be rather gradual with this method-I just really don't want to let it get too warm.