WLP029 Lag Time

[brdb]

Quick question on WLP029. I brewed a fairly small beer (1.038 OG) on Sunday afternoon, and pitched White Labs Kolsch yeast that night, no starter (fridge has been kept at 58F). The vial I used was well within it's best by date. 72 hours later and there are still no signs of visible fermentation (no krausen or airlock activity). I know this yeast is notorious for longer lag times, but I've never had a beer fail to begin fermentation, nor take this long to take off. Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience with this yeast or if I should start thinking of pitching another yeast pretty soon?

 

[ong]

You're keeping fermentation at 58? That seems awfully cool for that yeast. Optimum temps are listed at 65-69 degrees. Maybe warm it up a bit?

http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp029-german-ale-k-lsch-yeast

 

[brdb]

I should have mentioned that the 58F is ambient temp, I typically set my temp a few degrees cooler than my target to help account for some heat generated by fermentation. With that said, I will try bumping up the temperature in the fridge a bit to see if that helps the yeast get started at all. I know WL lists optimum temp for this yeast at 65-69F, but I also know a lot of people who have had success fermenting with this yeast in the 50s (while this particular strain is an ale yeast, it behaves almost like a hybrid lager/ale strain from what I have read/heard).

 

[jekeane]

I'de give it a little more time then warm it up and swirl to try and get the yeast going. I'de have to look at some notes but I feel like I have usually fermented closer to 62° with 029 and not seen overly long lag times.

 

[hottpeper13]

I switched from the 029 to 2565 because the latter is a lower temp yeast. I had problems and off flavors with the 029 below 60*. That yeast does best at 65* for the first 3-7 days(depends on SG) when at FG slowly drop to ~58 for 2 more weeks. Kolsch yeast drop slowly so be patient.

 

[Eucrid]

I should have mentioned that the 58F is ambient temp, I typically set my temp a few degrees cooler than my target to help account for some heat generated by fermentation. With that said, I will try bumping up the temperature in the fridge a bit to see if that helps the yeast get started at all. I know WL lists optimum temp for this yeast at 65-69F, but I also know a lot of people who have had success fermenting with this yeast in the 50s (while this particular strain is an ale yeast, it behaves almost like a hybrid lager/ale strain from what I have read/heard).

I intend to use 029 at those temps soon but from everything I've read using it that low pretty much demands a starter and probably a bit of over pitching.

 

[hannibalmdq]

I intend to use 029 at those temps soon but from everything I've read using it that low pretty much demands a starter and probably a bit of over pitching.

I use it at 58F and never really had a problem with it starting up within a day. I will say that running it at 58 on a small beer might not put off much of a krausen at all.

I'd say take a reading at day 3. I just did a 1.038 american psudeo lager with WLP029 at 58 degrees. It was at terminal gravity by day 3 and it only ever had a thin krausen that was more or less gone by the time I took the reading on day 3.

If there's no change in gravity at day 3, go ahead and repitch

Edit: I see it's already day three. It might be done. Take a reading.

 

[brdb]

Just a follow up for those curious, I wound up warming the ambient temp to 62F and giving the fermenter a gentle swirl and that seemed to do the trick as a nice krausen formed within 24 hours of doing so.

 

[Gavin C]

WLP 029 can be used at temperatures cooler than the manufacturers recommended ale range with some reported success.

I just brewed @Brulosopher 's Munich Helles with WLP at a hybrid pitching rate via a starter (2.5L) and had activity within 12 hours at 58F, maximum krausen at about 36 hours and was at 1.022 with ongoing active fermentation prior to me bumping up the temps to 68 gradually from 58 ( beer temps) after 2.5 days.

It is my only experience with this strain so take it for what little worth it is. 1 batch from an inexperienced user of the strain.

 

[brdb]

From what I've gathered, this strain can have a lag time measured in days when it is pitched straight out of the vial w/o a starter (which is what I did because my OG was so low) and I think that combined with the low ambient temperature I had the fermenter at is what caused it to take so long to take off. Next time I use this yeast and want to ferment at a lower temperature, I'll definitely be making a starter.

 

[TurnipGreen]

I’m using WLP 029 at about 54-56 right now. I pitched a pile of slurry and it started up in less than 8 hours. It has a little, beautiful, pillow white krausen.

I really like this yeast for American wheats and kolsch. I’ve been saving the slurry from the wheat, fermented at whatever my basement temperature is, to use in a colder fermented kolsch. 54-56 is the lowest i’ve done yet, but i’ve had really good results in the high 50s and low 60s.

So, I’m wondering why does white labs recommend not going below 62 degrees with this yeast? It sound like lots of folks have had real good success with it at lower temperatures.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread.