Open it and look? Fermentation issue

[Cimerian]

So I brewed a lager sunday morning thinking I had researched it enough. After spending the last hours going over no fermentation threads I think I may have used several mistakes that ended up causing it to not start to ferment. I pitched the yeast 78hrs ago roughly and the airlock has not budged even one bubble.

First I did an extract boil but used 5 gallons instead of 2.5 thinking this would be fine but just today read that you need to really aerate the beer when you pitch since boiling drives out O2. I did however still use about a half a gallon of tapwater to top off to make up for boil off and to get finally gravity.

I also instead of using the brewers best instructions to just sprinkle the yeast and stir in I used the yeast pack directions and rehydrated the yeast then pitched it and stirred it in. not sure how this could have anything to do with it though.

I followed the BB recipe as well when I put the fermenting pail in the lagering chamber and have kept it right about 55F since. I have read since then that maybe I should have had it at 60-65F until signs of ferment then moved to 55F. Possibly this is why it isn't moving.

I have checked to ensure the lid is nice and tight but I have not opened it up. Would a lager with bottom fermenting yeast even have a krausen on it? Should I pick up another pack of yeast tomorrow to have on hand and open it to take a gravity and repitch it if gravity has not changed? Or since it is a lager maybe I will not ever actually see signs of ferment? Possibly just need to aerate it more? I've read through many threads on here and have determined that not very many people do lagers and really did not find any about lagers that show no sign of ferment.

 

[cfonnes]

What was your starting gravity and how much yeast did you pitch?

Check your gravity, if it has not moved or only moved slightly you need aerate it like you have never aerated before. Lagers need lots of oxygen.

That would be a starting point. If it does not take off then consider repitching fresh yeast.

Pitching at warmer temp is never a good idea, many off flavors from yeast are developed before you see any air lock activity.

 

[Yooper]

Which yeast strain are you using? It sounds like dry yeast, so you might have enough yeast for it to ferment but I've never used dry lager yeast.

 

[Cimerian]

I was afraid you were going to ask which yeast it was. It was a german lager yeast but I threw away the packet it came in. The brewers best recipe lists it only as yeast - 1 sachet. If I remember right it was .4 oz dry does that sound right? OG was 1.050

 

[Yooper]

I was afraid you were going to ask which yeast it was. It was a german lager yeast but I threw away the packet it came in. The brewers best recipe lists it only as yeast - 1 sachet. If I remember right it was .4 oz dry does that sound right? OG was 1.050

I have no idea! I've never seen lager yeast with a Brewer's Best kit.

In any case, sanitize a turkey baster or wine thief and run and take a sample. We can advise you further once we know that reading! I'm assuming it's still at 55 degrees and not showing activity at this point.

 

[Cimerian]

Oh well no reason worrying about it now I just broke my hydrometer. I guess I did not put the lid back on tight enough. Guess I will pick up a new one tomorrow.

 

[Cimerian]

Ok I opened it up and took a gravity. I got 1.048ish at 55F and OG was 150 at 70F. Nothing at all on top except what looked like yeast rafts I have seen in other pictures. No krausen like in an ale or even what looks like activity. I did also pick up a package of Salflager w -34/70 lager yeast today as well as the new hydrometer. But should I add the yeast? Aerate? Both? The yeast I got is not the same as that came with the kit so not sure if that would do anything or not.

 

[Cimerian]

Just another after thought. Since I opened the bucket up and let in fresh O2 maybe I should now give it a few days before doing anything?

 

[Yooper]

Just another after thought. Since I opened the bucket up and let in fresh O2 maybe I should now give it a few days before doing anything?

No! Add the yeast right away. Then cover it up and walk away for 24 hours.

 

[Cimerian]

No! Add the yeast right away. Then cover it up and walk away for 24 hours.

should I stir it or anything when I do? btw I opened it about 2 hrs ago and immediately resealed it and put the airlock back on it.

 

[abc08234]

I wouldn't recommend stirring or introducing ANY air into the beer at this point. But one thing no one seemed to have mentioned is that are you sure your bucket is air tight? I've seen krausen subside within about 2-3 days, so if your setup isnt airtight then the airlock won't bubble and you might have missed seeing the krausen.

I've learn one easy way to test your setup is to press down on the lid slowly. This will force air up the airlock and if everything is setup properly the airlock should bubble. Make sure you use clean water in the airlock because once you release it may suck some fluid back thru the airlock.

I always use a plastic better bottle, this way I see everything that goes on in there. It is also fun to see the yeast float up and down

 

[cfonnes]

I think that I would aerate.

It does not sound like you aerated very well in the beginning.

 

[passedpawn]

I wouldn't stir - by now plenty of O2 has diffused into the wort.

I wouldn't do anything but rehydrate the yeast at room temp or warmer, let it slowly get down to your wort temp, and pitch. I'd do this immediately.

To rehydrate, put a container containing a half-cup of water into a microwave and boil it breifly, then let it cool to room temp. Add the yeast, cover, and put in the same place as your fermenter. It will rehydrate and cool slowly over about 30 minutes. Then pitch.

 

[Cimerian]

I put the yeast in last night before crawling to bed. Looked in today and the airlock is bubbling away nicely. I guess I just had bad yeast or I killed it somehow.

 

[passedpawn]

I put the yeast in last night before crawling to bed. Looked in today and the airlock is bubbling away nicely. I guess I just had bad yeast or I killed it somehow.

I've never done a "kit", but I'd bet you get some questionable yeast with those. Try getting kits put together by your local shop, or online sources. Those will have the good stuff. Glad to hear things are bubbling