Sarrsipius
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- Feb 18, 2009
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I brewed up a 10 gallon batch of my favorite blonde ale this weekend and this time I split it into two 5 gallon batches. In one I did the usual ale and in the other I used WYeast 2007 pilsen Lager. The ale is fermenting as usual.
For the Lager, I did a 2L starter from a smack pack. The yeast was smacked about 5 hours before pitching into the starter. It only swelled a small amount but I wasn't concerned because it's a lager yeast. The starter was on a stir plate for about 21 hours at room temp (68deg) then I put it in the fermentation cooler for about an hour at 60 degrees. the entire starter was swirled up and was pitched into 5 gallons of wort that was at 62-64deg. I ran pure O2 for 1min 30 seconds to aerate the 5 gallons before pitching.
I put the fermenter in the cooler and cooled it at 4 deg/day down to 50. It's been 2 1/2 days (60 hours) and no signs of fermentation. No airlock activity, no bubbls or krausen on top, nothing. In fact, the wort is beginning to stratify with a more clear layer forming on top.
My plan is to take a gravity reading when I get home from work today and see if there is any fermentation taking place. If not, what should I do?
My thoughts are:
1. re-aerate for 30 seconds with O2
2. Warm the fermenter to 58 degrees
3. stir up the yeast and trub
Any other ideas or suggestions? Do I need to go pick up some dry lager yeast and pitch it? I'm inexperienced with Lagers so I'm not sure if I should be concerned yet or not. The only other Lager I've brewed took off within 24 hours.
For the Lager, I did a 2L starter from a smack pack. The yeast was smacked about 5 hours before pitching into the starter. It only swelled a small amount but I wasn't concerned because it's a lager yeast. The starter was on a stir plate for about 21 hours at room temp (68deg) then I put it in the fermentation cooler for about an hour at 60 degrees. the entire starter was swirled up and was pitched into 5 gallons of wort that was at 62-64deg. I ran pure O2 for 1min 30 seconds to aerate the 5 gallons before pitching.
I put the fermenter in the cooler and cooled it at 4 deg/day down to 50. It's been 2 1/2 days (60 hours) and no signs of fermentation. No airlock activity, no bubbls or krausen on top, nothing. In fact, the wort is beginning to stratify with a more clear layer forming on top.
My plan is to take a gravity reading when I get home from work today and see if there is any fermentation taking place. If not, what should I do?
My thoughts are:
1. re-aerate for 30 seconds with O2
2. Warm the fermenter to 58 degrees
3. stir up the yeast and trub
Any other ideas or suggestions? Do I need to go pick up some dry lager yeast and pitch it? I'm inexperienced with Lagers so I'm not sure if I should be concerned yet or not. The only other Lager I've brewed took off within 24 hours.