Re-pitching lager yeast today

[tntpilsner]

I brewed a lager March 2 and put it in my keezer with the tstat set to 50F. Unfortunately, I did not realize that the really cold nights the following week would get my wort down to the low 30's F for several days, and there was no activity.
I got a seedling mat and have had my keezer up to mid-50's F for about 4 days now, with no activity. I finally popped the top and took a hydrometer reading last night...it's still right where I started, at 1.042.
So I'm planning to get another White Labs WLP800 today, make a starter tonight and pitch tomorrow. I'm a little concerned that this wort is over a week old, but I saw no spores or anything in it, and again it has been below 40 F for several days there at the beginning of last week.
I guess I'm just asking if it's worth trying, or should I cut my losses and dump it?

 

[kh54s10]

If the wort doesn't have anything growing on the surface and you see no activity, suggesting infection, I would re-pitch.

 

[friarsmith]

Perhaps taste it first, and if it doesn't taste sour or "off" then you might as well oxygenate/shake and re-pitch. I'm curious... do you think your yeast may have been a 'dud' too? I'm surprised it didn't drop any points.

 

[tntpilsner]

Perhaps taste it first, and if it doesn't taste sour or "off" then you might as well oxygenate/shake and re-pitch. I'm curious... do you think your yeast may have been a 'dud' too? I'm surprised it didn't drop any points.

Thanks, good idea.
You know, I'm not sure what happened. I pitched a White Labs WLP800 straight into the wort at around 50F, and I should have done a starter.
Then it got cold and the temp inside the keezer went down to freezing or so at night and maybe 40 or so in the day for a few days, then I got the seedling mat and nothing (no activity) has happened for a few days now, even though the wort (or the side of my bucket) is mid-50's now for probably 4 days.
So I'm clueless, I've done a bunch of ales but no lagers until this Pilsner.

 

[odie]

It may be alive but just working slowly

 

[tntpilsner]

I was thinking that, and it could be, but with it still at 1.042 I'm nervous it may be/get contaminated. But my wife picked up a new yeast today so we'll see how this one does.

 

[Jag75]

Good luck man. I'm doing my first Lager (oktoberfest) tomorrow. It's got me nervous thinking about fermentation temp. Just getting the chest freezer w/inkbird figured out. Did you pitch @50 ? Or did you pitch warmer the go colder? I'm gonna get the wort and starter 50*f and then pitch .

 

[tntpilsner]

Thanks, I feel your pain, haha.
I pitched at 50 F, but it immediately got cold over several nights (and days), so my freezer just kept dropping to around freezing. Then I ordered a seedling mat (heat mat) and got the temp back up to around 55 F for several days, but for some reason the yeast never took off. So I did a starter last night and got my wort up to 60-65 F per White Lab and other instructions...I think I'll pitch there and once activity starts, drop it back down to 50-55F for the bulk of fermentation.

 

[friarsmith]

Good luck man. I'm doing my first Lager (oktoberfest) tomorrow. It's got me nervous thinking about fermentation temp. Just getting the chest freezer w/inkbird figured out. Did you pitch @50 ? Or did you pitch warmer the go colder? I'm gonna get the wort and starter 50*f and then pitch .

Pitch into well-oxygenated wort at the low to mid-range of the yeast's recommended temp. Always. Minimizes esters and diacetyl precursors

Now to cover myself w/ a tarp for the inevitable pissing match

 

[Jag75]

Pitch into well-oxygenated wort at the low to mid-range of the yeast's recommended temp. Always. Minimizes esters and diacetyl precursors

Now to cover myself w/ a tarp for the inevitable pissing match

I think that's good advice . I heard on a podcast that elluded to this .

 

[odie]

I think that's good advice . I heard on a podcast that elluded to this .

The tarp thing? lol

 

[tntpilsner]

Haha! That's funny. I pitched the starter into the wort at around 60 F or a little higher last night, and by this morning there was bubbling activity. I dropped it back to about 55 F and may drop er on down to 50 F tonight. Hopefully it's on its way!

 

[friarsmith]

friarsmith said: ↑
Pitch into well-oxygenated wort at the low to mid-range of the yeast's recommended temp. Always. Minimizes esters and diacetyl precursors

My assertion above is based on several 10 gallon lager batches over the course of a year where I pitched half at 48-50* and half in the low 60's and let the warm-pitched (WP) beer ramp down in the keezer next to the other fermenter. In general, the WP beers 1) started fermenting faster, 2) required longer diacetyl rests, and 3) had more noticeable esters at various serving temps (unless very very cold in a frosty glass) than the cool-pitched beers. Esters aren't necessarily the end of the world unless you're submitting them into competitions.

I've noticed beers fermented w/ Bohem yeasts (34/70, WLP830, WY2124) overall showed the least difference between warm/cool pitch, especially regarding esters. Other batches were fermented w/ WLP838/833/802/850 and WY2278/2000/2001 showed significant differences (at least in my estimation) based on pitching temp.

I did all the above because it's a pain to chill wort <60* in the summer months, and I wanted to see which yeasts were forgiving. 34/70 was the clear winner to me... just wish it flocculated faster.

 

[tntpilsner]

Wow good info! Thanks again!