Newbie Lagering Mistake

[Skarekrough]

On Tuesday night I brewed a Modello Lager clone.

Not having lagered before I pitched the yeast like I normally do with other beers; crack it open and dump it in.

I did do this with the wort at 60 degrees and shortly after pitching moved the fermenter into the garage to drop the temp down.

Yesterday I checked on it and there wasn't much activity on top. A little less than half of the top had small bubbles. It didn't appear to look like what I typically associate krausen to look like.

The gravity on it yesterday was 1.041. Unfortunately I don't have anything to compare it to since I was so tired from a days work and brewing that I didn't get an OG on it. The recipe stated that I should have an OG of 1.051 so there is a possibility that there has been some activity.

I've kept the temps in the proper range. However after a few days and no krausen or bubbling I'm kind of at a loss.

Should I consider pitching again with a starter this time?

Thanks.

 

[bgruis]

Rember that Lagers ferment much slower than ales (in my experience). I know somepeople frown on me for it but I will typically pitch my lager at 65 ish degrees....wait 12 to 24 hours to ensure fermentation is rocking away,....then put in the cellar at 50 degrees for like 2 weeks of fermentation time.

 

[brewit2it]

If you used lager yeast and are at lager temps you don't expect to see a large Krausen. That's why they call ale yeast top fermenting and lager bottom fermenting. Both are actually min-nomers since the yeast in both cases ferments throughout the wort but the ale yeast ferments faster and forms the large foamy head (krausen) on top while the lager yeast typically doesn't.

 

[ThePearsonFam]

I wouldn't worry, if there's sugar and yeast, then they're working away. Be patient...

 

[TipsyDragon]

also did you pitch enough yeast to start with? lagers require more than the normal ale amount.

 

[Skarekrough]

also did you pitch enough yeast to start with? lagers require more than the normal ale amount.

That's my concern.

I didn't use a starter. I got the temp down to 60 degrees, popped the cap on the yeast and poured it in. After I put the top on the fermenter and brought the whole thing out to the garage.

Since I don't have a true OG to reference I only have what the OG for the recipe SHOULD be and what I pulled 48 hours after the yeast was pitched.

 

[TRainH2o]

Assuming that you used lager yeast...

The general rule for lagers is to pitch a huge starter, like 3 liters or more depending on OG. Since the yeast are working at a lower temperature, much more yeast is needed. If I could get it quickly, I would make a starter with the same kind of yeast and pitch it after a couple of days.

 

[Skarekrough]

Assuming that you used lager yeast...

The general rule for lagers is to pitch a huge starter, like 3 liters or more depending on OG. Since the yeast are working at a lower temperature, much more yeast is needed. If I could get it quickly, I would make a starter with the same kind of yeast and pitch it after a couple of days.

It was lager yeast. That I am sure of.

Wold re-pitching with such a huge amount of starter and yeast have a negative effect on the end result?

I figure the batch is engineered towards a certain volume. Would a huge starter like that reduce the FG considerably?

 

[TRainH2o]

You would generally pour off most of the wort and pitch the yeast at the bottom.

 

[Skarekrough]

You would generally pour off most of the wort and pitch the yeast at the bottom.

So I'd be looking at sanitizing a new fermenting bucket, dropping the yeast and the starter at the bottom and then siphoning the wort into the fermenter up to the final volume?

 

[SilentAutumn]

I did a little test on my last lager since I didn't pitch a huge starter and SG hadn't budged after a week. Pulled a sample and let it warm to room temp. Once it hit room temp, it started getting bubbles in the sample tube. The yeast became active. So there was active yeast in the wort, it was just really, really slow due to temp. So I brought the fermentor temp up a few degrees to let the yeast get going for two days, then brought the temp back down once I felt the yeast could do their thing in the cold.

 

[superjunior]

So I'd be looking at sanitizing a new fermenting bucket, dropping the yeast and the starter at the bottom and then siphoning the wort into the fermenter up to the final volume?

you don't have to go through all that. Decant most of the starter wort off the yeast and stir it up well. than just gently stir your yeast starter into the wort

 

[Skarekrough]

On Friday I came home and retrieved the fermenter from the garage and put it in my office and rigged up a brew belt to it.

Saturday morning I didn't see any activity in the airlock so I put together a starter.

Some time late Saturday afternoon I looked and the starter was starting to kick....as well as the fermenter in the office.

This morning the fermenter went into the office and I'm planning on another brew today to put the yeast I made a starter out of to good use.

I guess the grand punchline of this is that if it goes well I'll have two Lagers under my belt as the result of trying to just do one.

...and neither will likely be ready for the Cinco De Mayo party I was intentionally brewing the first for!

Oh well. At the worst it's beer and I know what to do with that!