WLP677 Lag time

[therev71]

Hi all.

My first attempt at making a sour.

60 Minutes Mash at 68C
30 Minutes Batch Sparge at 75C

OG 1.054

2Tsp lactic Acid in the mash
2.5k Wheat
2.5k Pilsner
.5k rye

WLP677

pH 5.6

Did a full 60 Minute boil and per the pitching instructions on the WLP label it said optimum pitch temp was 24C.

Cooled the wort to 24C, Transferred the wort to the fermentation vessel, shook the vessel and pitched the vial.

I didnt make a starter for this batch ( I normally pitch a 1750ml starter)

Temp has stayed steady at 24 C for the past few days but the vial said look for activity in 5-15 hours.

48 Hours later no activity. No Krausen no nothing. I can smell honey from the top of the airlock but looking through I see no activity.

My question is; should I take pH reading after 5 days, see if it has dropped ( lacto is working) or shoudl I reboil for 30 minutes, do my Hop addition and repitch my normal yeast?

Or I have been reading that the temp may be too low for WLP677 and shoudl I heat it to at least 40C?

Thanks.

 

[helibrewer]

I looks like you want to sour before fermentation. Lacto likes higher temps (26-35C) and really won't produce a krausen, it is making lactic acid, not alcohol and CO2. You measure lacto production by taking pH readings, when the desired pH is reached you ferment with your preferred strain.

 

[therev71]

Thanks. I was worried because I have seen other posts about WLP677 making a krausen. Ive been monitoring the pH every 2 days and checking. Starting pH was 5.5, this morning it was 5.3

 

[therev71]

Checked the pH today and it was 3.5.

Boiled for 30 minutes, chilled it and pitched my yeast. It is a culture of a 34/70 and wlp029. I like the way it finishes. It gives it a nice clean bready flavor without the lager taste.