That suck lager question again

[divrack]

Hello everybody.
So being proficient in typing stuff into Google I am aware this question is often asked, namely:
My pilsner fermentation started out as expected but then stopped after about a day after a possibly over cold night of about 8 c (sorry I'm in new money).
I warmed it back to about 14 but still not much happening and it looks like yeast are out of suspension..

It is still definitely wort (I peeped under the lid), and I've shooken it and shouted at it and cried hot salty tears over it but to no avail.

2ltr starter from wl budovici at 30 hr on a cool stir plate. Possibly under oxygenated wort but it would still have a fair bit in. Wasnt that strong either.

What do reckon? Brewed Saturday and it was going on Sunday stopped Monday now Wednesday.
Should I bring it to room temp do you think? Mouth to mouth? Invoke the beast of seventeen heads in a dark and bloody ceremony of desperation?
Any input appreciated

 

[Sadu]

Checking the gravity would be a good start. Peeping under the lid is good but a gravity reading is better.

My guess is that it's done. But if not more salty tears would probably help and you might find the pilsner wort responds well to some Judas Priest or any classic heavy metal really :rockin:

 

[divrack]

I trust my nose more than any pesky hydromeratorisors and I've never held truck with gravity. Having said that I shall post haste crank up some priest on the old girl and pray she pulls through ..

 

[jddevinn]

Only way to tell if it is done is to take a gravity ready.

 

[Dcpcooks]

8c is low you may need to re pitch more yeast

 

[divrack]

Don't know if it was the priest or the shaking, but it's more doing stuff. Only thing is it kind of looks like an ale fermentation as there's what looks like yeast in the krausen (or whatever you call lager bubbles), although it's possible just some hop pellet stuff I suppose.
Also it smells quite acetic which is a worry as I was already a bit para about the starter as it smelled that way and had a darkish sediment that didn't look like no yeast to me.

 

[divrack]

Don't know if it was the priest or the shaking, but it's more doing stuff. Only thing is it kind of looks like an ale fermentation as there's what looks like yeast in the krausen (or whatever you call lager bubbles), although it's possible just some hop pellet stuff I suppose.
Also it smells quite acetic which is a worry as I was already a bit para about the starter as it smelled that way and had a darkish sediment that didn't look like no yeast to me.

 

[railwalker]

8c is probably at the low end of your lager yeast's range, but not out of it. Wyeast 2124 is rated 45F-55F. So while warming the ferment is all it likely needed to get more active, exceeding these numbers is not recommended for a clean lager. The exception is for a diacetyl rest of about 60F toward the end of fermentation for a couple days to clean things up a bit before lowering to lager temps. Also was the smell you experienced acetic, or perhaps sulphuric, which is to be expected?

 

[divrack]

8c is probably at the low end of your lager yeast's range, but not out of it. Wyeast 2124 is rated 45F-55F. So while warming the ferment is all it likely needed to get more active, exceeding these numbers is not recommended for a clean lager. The exception is for a diacetyl rest of about 60F toward the end of fermentation for a couple days to clean things up a bit before lowering to lager temps. Also was the smell you experienced acetic, or perhaps sulphuric, which is to be expected?

It was definitely more acetic but now it's going properly the sulphur is making everything which I know is normal. I'm hoping the acetic smell was from oxygenated starter as I'd added another magnet to my home made stirrer and was giving it big licks. Unfortunately I didn't have time to crash it and pitched the whole thing but hopefully any of shells will be lost. I'm planning on dry hopping it a little so it doesn't need to be hyper clean.
Anyway I'll keep you all posted as it will answer a couple of questions I've seen up on these boards without conclusion

 

[divrack]

Should have used the review post function before submitting that...