Poor Pitching Rate- Lag phase of 24 hrs or more?

[Glibbidy]

I brewed a 10 gallon batch Saturday evening. Cooled the wort down to 68, and pitched some highly respiring yeast, into the primary.
The aeration was clearly more then adequate based on the huge head of foam I created in transferring from the kettle to the fermenter.

Best guess is I probably pitched at a rate of 1 to 40. Last evening it was as quiet as a ghost town in the fermenter with little to no activity, so I pitched some additional yeast into the primary fermenter, and move the vessel into the furnace room where the temps are around 62-64 degrees F. I'm guessing that I'm looking at a prolonged lag phase due to poor pitching rate.

Anyone ever experience a 24-28 hour lag phase with a batch? Have you yielded a successful brew with that batch? I'm really concerned about contamination at this point, and any insight would be helpful.

 

[Walker]

I brewed a 10 gallon batch Saturday evening. Cooled the wort down to 68, and pitched some highly respiring yeast, into the primary.
The aeration was clearly more then adequate based on the huge head of foam I created in transferring from the kettle to the fermenter.

Best guess is I probably pitched at a rate of 1 to 40. Last evening it was as quiet as a ghost town in the fermenter with little to no activity, so I pitched some additional yeast into the primary fermenter, and move the vessel into the furnace room where the temps are around 62-64 degrees F. I'm guessing that I'm looking at a prolonged lag phase due to poor pitching rate.

Anyone ever experience a 24-28 hour lag phase with a batch? Have you yielded a successful brew with that batch? I'm really concerned about contamination at this point, and any insight would be helpful.

I've had lag times of about 48 hours a few times (and that was with 5 gallon batches... 10 gallons should have a longer lag if I understand everything correctly.) Anyway, I had no problems with the finished products.

One thing... you said you moved it to the furnace room where temps are in the low 60's? Was it sitting in a cooler spont prior to moving it? Those cool temps probably slowed the yeats WAY down. I try to keep mine up near 70 until fermentation kicks in, and then I lower to 65.

-walker

 

[david_42]

The longest lag I've ever seen was four days. That was my first barleywine. I don't think the yeast was really up to the task and it just took time for the more robust cells to take over. Needs to be a bit warmer until fermentation starts.

(other than hydrometers, walker-san and I seem to agree on almost everything)

 

[kornkob]

If we have an FAQ aroudn here I definately think that inital fermentation lag should be in it. That has to be one of the biggest 'panic points' for a new brewer.

 

[Glibbidy]

The primary was in my lab where typically at this time of the year the temps hover between 58-60 degrees F. In my haste to finish before midnight on Saturday, I neglected to move the fermenter. Typically the lag phase I experience is anywhere from 5-18 hours. 24 or more just seems like allot.

dialing in this 10 gallon batch thing has been quite challenging. Seems like many more variables then I had expected.

 

[Nate]

The longest lag I've had was 12 hours with 10 gallons batches. My last Scotch Ale kicked off within an hour or two (with 2L starter and another smack pak). The Hefe I just brewed took about 4 hours to start (one 1L starter). 48 hours seems a bit long and 4 days seems very long... most of my primaries are pretty much complete at the 4 day mark.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I've seen 24-36hr lag times and don't find anything unusual about it depending on the situation. If I pitch a 2L starter into 5g of 70F wort I'd expect something to happen in less than 12 hrs.