Well... it's not fermenting. What is my next step?

[justinm410]

So here's the schedule of events.

-Last friday I finished making 2.5 gallons of Bock wort. I bottled it taking many precautions for sanitation. (Also rinsed sanitizer very well) I was operating like a surgeon trying to make sure my first batch of Bock was just right.

-Since I was being careful and took so long I ran out of time to finish friday (went away over weekend) and after brewing my wort bottled it into 5 2-Liter bottles and refrigerated over the weekend.

-Came back late Tuesday and synced the temperature of the Lager yeast to the temperature of the wort (pitched vial at about 65 degrees F). Following this I refrigerated the wort with yeast back down to 55 degrees F and left for 48 hours.

-Returned after 48 hours and got no apparent fermentation.


I know I didn't use a starter, but I figured I was compensating for this by using a full vial of yeast for only 2.5 gallons. So I know I'm probably an idiot for taking that shortcut, but lessons are learned now. What should be my next step? I was figuring on dropping by the brew store today and buying more yeast. I figure my wort won't go bad in the mean time as long as it's refrigerated, right?

Note: I did take OG readings and current gravity readings. OG was 1.050, current gravity is not changed.

Other Note: I had intended to make this bock about 3 months ago so the yeast was about 1 month past its 'Use by:' date, which may have caused issues, but I was hearing differently various places I was reading so pitched anyway. (the brew store is 30 mins away and I was being lazy)

Thanks!

 

[Revvy]

I'm confused about how you know you had no fermentation since you didn't post the current gravity reading? If you're going by airlock bubbling, which is always faulty, especially in lagers since it is cold and the co2 doesn't often need to vent out as much, since the gas doesn't expand, then you're not really sure about fermentation.

 

[justinm410]

Sorry I added an edit to the post a second after the first post. OG was 1.050 and hasnt changed.

 

[Revvy]

A month out of date isn't really an issue. People have used year old + yeast with no problems.

I would get more yeast, make a small starter to get the yeast jump started, and keep an eye on the yeast and see if you can pitch it at the height of fermentation for the starter (Full Krausen is the term but I don't know if it would apply for lager yeast.)

 

[justinm410]

Okey dokey, thanks, I'll do that. Question: If it takes say, I think, 320 million yeast spores to properly ferment a 5 gallon batch why will 20 million spores not cut it and just take a week longer? Just curiosity.

 

[Revvy]

Okey dokey, thanks, I'll do that. Question: If it takes say, I think, 320 million yeast spores to properly ferment a 5 gallon batch why will 20 million spores not cut it and just take a week longer? Just curiosity.

Don't know. Could be a million variables. Maybe although the yeast was ONLY a month out of date it was at some point stored badly and was compromised. There's really no way to know.

 

[louie0202]

That's a 300 million difference and you are asking for off flavors. You need 160 million unless you want an off flavor beer.

 

[justinm410]

So we're saying that we need the yeast to grow faster than and crowd out any potentially contaminating bacteria? I assume bacteria would be the factor in the off flavor?