fermenting - has it started?

[H@wkeye!]

Hey all

I did my second all grain brew on sunday in my grainfather. As far as i can tell it all went well, except the sparge was delayed while i heated the water to the right temp. Perhaps 20 mins or so. Kept the wort at about 72 degrees though during this time.

Now, almost three days later and the fermenting doesn't seem to have started. I brewed a Schwarzbier as i was told it will do well in my cold garage while fermenting. The temp appears to be about 14, but the first day it was below 10 (as low as my stick on thermometer shows). I did something different when adding the yeast, reading it in a 1/2 cup of warm (was 33 degrees when i added it to the water) water before putting it all in the wort. Oh and i used weihenstephan/bohemian lager yeast (W-34/70).

Should i be concerned that it's not going to happen?

Cheers

Hawk

 

[panzerd18]

Did you just pitch one packet of yeast?

 

[manticle]

What are you using as an indication of fermentation?

 

[H@wkeye!]

If by pitch you mean add it to warm water, let it sit for a few than add to wort, yes. (maybe didn't leave it too long though - timing was an issue)

Indication, usually see the bubbles and foam on the top of the wort.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Yeast temp shock maybe. Living organisms they are.
If you took fish from a 33c tank and threw them into a 14c tank it will shock the hell out of them and many would probable die.

 

[panzerd18]

If by pitch you mean add it to warm water, let it sit for a few than add to wort, yes. (maybe didn't leave it too long though - timing was an issue)

I meant, how many packets of dry or vials of liquid yeast did you add to the warm water?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Either that or you just have a slower brew like I have at the moment. Its sitting at around 16c for 2 days with Nottingham yeast.
Is the Krausen forming? Mine is, few! thank fk

 

[H@wkeye!]

No foam yet.

When i added the yeast to the wort, it was at about 26ish degrees. Only cooled down to 10ish over night, so slowly.

Only used one packet of yeast, 11 (although a bit got stuck on the cup)

 

[manticle]

Did you check the gravity to see if it's dropped? Lager yeasts are slower when fermented at cool temps so your usual visual indicators may not paint a true picture.

Also a good idea to pitch about twice the amount you would for an ale of equivalent gravity.

 

[panzerd18]

Only used one packet of yeast, 11 (although a bit got stuck on the cup)

If you can be bothered, I would pitch another packet in. For lower temperatures you need to pitch more than one packet of yeast. Two packs of lager yeast if you want to ferment at say 10 degrees C.

Is there any krausen/foam ontop of the wort? If there is, then its starting to ferment.

 

[H@wkeye!]

I only have the coopers kit yeast at the moment. Don't have any weihenstephan yeast.

Just checked, seems to be more at 16 degress now.

Could it just be that it got a bit cold on the first night and slowed down the process?

 

[panzerd18]

I only have the coopers kit yeast at the moment. Don't have any weihenstephan yeast.

Just checked, seems to be more at 16 degress now.

Could it just be that it got a bit cold on the first night and slowed down the process?

Hang on which yeast are you using?

Did you originally pitch W-34/70 yeast or the Coopers Kit yeast?

The majority of Coopers kit yeasts are Ale yeasts (even the yeast included in some of the lager kits), meaning if you have pitched that, it will not work at such a lower temperature.

 

[H@wkeye!]

Lol coopers yeast is a left over from when i did a coopers kit with additional hops and different non-coopers yeast. Used the W-34/70 in this current brew.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Re - the thing that they are living organisms. Viability depends on your handling of them especially with temperatures.
Dramatic temperature changes are, not preferable. Temperature control is so cool. Any way you can.

 

[H@wkeye!]

Don't think i had dramatic temp changes, only went from approx 30 to about 26 before *slowly* going down to about 10 (by that i mean 14+ hrs)

 

[H@wkeye!]

Quick update. Has definitely begun the fermenting. Thick layer of foam on the top. Happy am i!