Oktoberfest under pitch...any suggestions?

[whoaru99]

Yesterday I made an Octoberfest that went into the fermenter at 1.061 (5gal). My plan was to pitch two smack packs.

However, one of the packs was a bit older and despite several hours it was barely puffed up. The other pack blew up like a balloon in the same time.

When it came time to pitch, the barely inflated pack contents smelled sorta sulfery and stinky so I did not add that pack. The other pack smelled of normal yeasty goodness.

It's been about 18 hours @ 55F and there is some real, real light activity so I'm not worred about a flop.

Just looking for any suggestions on making the best of this somewhat low pitch rate.

 

[jekeane]

You will likely be fine I would make sure you get a diacetyl rest in at the end of fermentation. The yeast may produce some sulfur and a few other stress related byproducts but nothing that shouldn't lager out.

 

[IslandLizard]

Isn't one smack pack for a 5 gallon batch of lager considered a severe underpitch?
According to a yeast calculator 425 billion cells are needed. At best, a single smack pack has 100-125 billion, if packaged within the last week and was stored under optimal conditions. Even with 2 packs it would have been less than half of "optimal."

I'm sure it will make beer, but why didn't you make a starter?

 

[McGarnigle]

Yes, one pack is a severe under pitch, but the fact that one pack didn't balloon up doesn't mean you didn't get anything out of it. You can't trust that.

EDIT: the above is wrong, misread it.

Still, this was an under pitch. Not sure if there's anything you can do now.

 

[IslandLizard]

Yes, one pack is a severe under pitch, but the fact that one pack didn't balloon up doesn't mean you didn't get anything out of it. You can't trust that.

Still, this was an under pitch. Not sure if there's anything you can do now.

He threw the bad pack out, it smelled bad. That was a good call, White Labs also recommends it.

It reminds me of my 3rd brew, 8 years ago, my first Pilsner. I didn't know anything about starters and pitching rates. Pitched 1 vial of WLP801. 3 days later, at 55F, there was still no sign of activity. Warmed it up to around 60F, and well and behold, a day later some foam had appeared. Anyway, that beer would have never passed for a Pilsner in my book. More like a steam ale, maybe. Yet, still very drinkable.

I hope the OP's beer fares better. Oktoberfests, when done well, are among my favorite lagers.

 

[whoaru99]

...
I'm sure it will make beer, but why didn't you make a starter?

Last minute decision with a break in the weather. I still boil outside.

About 25-26 hours after pitch it's starting to pick up pretty good. Certainly not a massive krausen but it's building a head of steam.

Right or wrong, I cut back to 53F too as it's starting to take off. That's midrange for the 2633 yeast, per Wyeast. Didn't want to go all the way down to the low end or lower with the low pitch.

 

[IslandLizard]

Last minute decision with a break in the weather. I still boil outside.

About 25-26 hours after pitch it's starting to pick up pretty good. Certainly not a massive krausen but it's building a head of steam.

Right or wrong, I cut back to 53F too as it's starting to take off. That's midrange for the 2633 yeast, per Wyeast. Didn't want to go all the way down to the low end or lower with the low pitch.

Ah, weather driven... excellent excuse!

Some lager brewers start 5-10°F high for the first 12-24 hours, then drop to their intended ferm temp. The yeast's lag time (where they bud cells) is much shorter at higher temps, building a more substantial cell count in less time. When that's done, they can start to ferment.

I think you did the right thing!

 

[schematix]

You probably needed about 6 packs/vials to pitch this correctly.

It'll probably ferment but don't be surprised if it stalls, and its probably going to be very very estery and buttery.

Live and learn. Lagers take a ridiculous amount yeast.

Probably drinkable though but it won't pass as a smooth clean lager.

 

[jekeane]

Keep us up to date with your results down the road. I stand by what I said above There have been a couple home-brew experiments done with pitching a proper starter vs a vitality starter / smack pack.

In both of the experiments I read the beer turned out the same it just took significantly longer to get started and clean.

Big starter with a proper cell count is best practice but in you situation it is what it is and with that much Krausen this early in I think you will be fine. I would suggest taking a gravity reading 4-5 days in and if you are more than 50% to your desired FG I would consider start bumping your temperatures up to 68° over the next couple days if you can then let it finish at 68° for a week or so.

Generally I don't use this "quick lager" method but in your case it could help with the under pitch when it come stop hitting your FG.

 

[whoaru99]

This morning the krausen is at least twice what the picture shows.

A sniff of the vigorous bubbling in the blow off jar reveals no off smells. Surprisingly clean, actually; at least at this point.

 

[whoaru99]

Finally got around to kegging this beer. Finished at 1.014.

Looks good, smells good, sample tastes fine. Looking forward to the finished product!