Lager Fermentation stall?

[boombrewer]

So my first attempt at a lager is not going well. The AG recipe is a Yuengling clone and called for a 7 day primary. My OG was 1.055. It spent 7 days in my kegorator (struggling to get a consistent 52F) for the primary. The fermentation varied in activity level. I racked it to the secondary after 7 days and dropped the temp to 40F as directed. I realized the activity was dropping so I bumped the temp to 48F for 7 days to 'finish fermenting'. So after 10 days total in the secondary SG was still at 1.044.

I had another vial of the same yeast strain (WLP 0838) but it was expired. I made a yeast starter and figured I'd back up the the primary stage. Left it at 52F for 10 days (while I was out of town for Christmas). Came home to a SG of 1.040.

What the hell? The starter was fine - usual amount of activity and such. Is this lager just screwed?

BTW, after my debacle with the initial primary, I built a fermenter out of a chest freezer so temperatures were solid after that first fiasco.

 

[JLP]

No, your not screwed. I just had a Baltic Porter and its parti-gyle Baltic Porter both take 3.5 weeks to drop down to proper FG with WLP810, and I pitched more than enough yeast. Did you use a yeast quantity calculator? Lagers require roughly double to yeast as to an ale. Just keep it at the proper ferm temps, and give it a good trub stir to kick up the yeast. Do not forget to do a dyacital rest on it to make sure that you are good.

 

[boombrewer]

Thanks. This is definitely a learning experience.