Yeast and Fermentation Problem

[pudi211]

My first batch of homebrew hefeweizen came out great, but I brewed a lager this weekend and it hasn't appeared to begin fermenting.

I cooled the wort down to about 100 F (2 1/2 gallons) and my tap water was about 50-55 F (2 1/2 gallons) That should have put me at about 75 F. My food bucket thermometer read lower than 70 degrees (in the high 50s), but I didn't trust it because it hadn't had time to read the mixed bucket content. So I pitched the yeast (white labs lager yeast) thinking I was ok. Maybe my bucket thermometer was correct, and I pitched the yeast in the high 50s.

It is Monday morning and it appears that nothing is happening. Should I see some action with a lager yeast as with an ale yeast? Right now I am warming the beer to 70 F try to start fermentation, and once I see something I plan to move it back down to 50-55 F. Is that a good course of action?

I don't want to mess up this batch, but I am concerned that it looks like the fermentation hasn't started after 1 1/2 days. Someone cool my anxiety.

 

[Madman]

Fermentation can take a while to get going. Read this

One other thing that I read is that lager fermentation can lag is the temerature of the yeast starter is much higher or lower than the temperature of the wort. However, so soon after pitching, there's no real reason to get worried.

 

[Bob]

Sounds to me like you only pitched the tube. That's underpitching by a very large margin, which is why you're experiencing such a protracted lag.

The strain of yeast isn't the only important part of what you pitch; how much you pitch has just as great an impact on your beer.

Read the article on Yeast Pitching on the HBT Wiki.

Good luck, and welcome to HBT!

Bob

 

[pudi211]

:rockin:Thanks for the replies. I guess my next question is since it appears that I actually might be fermenting should I transfer my brew to its brewing place which holds 50-55 degrees? You guys are helpful, and these threads are great:rockin: