Maibock Won't Start - Help

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keine_ahnung

joeblogsbier.com
Joined
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Hi

I mixed up a Maibock on Sunday night.
Pitched the yeast (WLP833) at about 24degC

Then started cooling it overnight.
Unfortunately, I still haven't got my setup with the powerpoint timer on the fridge right (or invested in a thermostat), so it got down to around 14C by the next morning.
When I checked it, there were no signs of fermentation having begun :( :(
So I left the fridge off and door open in the garage all yesterday hoping it would warm up (garage temp has been around 22C fairly stable). It's up at about 17-18C this morning when i left for work, and probably warming up as we speak.

Just wondering what my best bet is?
I know I prob need to get it up to at least 22C to get the yeast started. I could have put heat source in the fridge, but was a bit worried about changing the temp up and down too quickly of the brew.

Also, it is pretty high SG. i.e. 1092. (Yep, it's gonna be a heavy bock :) )

I really hope i haven't stuffed it :(
I probably should have pre-started the yeast before pitching it like the instructions said. However, i didn't realise it was going to be so heavy, and didnt' check the gravity till after i'd pitched. The brew calculator I used only predicted 1072.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
You don't need to warm the yeast up to get it started, but seeing as you've under pitched, just leave it at around 18c until the first signs of ferment & then get it down to 10c asap. Under pitching will delay signs of ferment, don't stress it will fire as long as the yeast was ok.

What do you mean by "mixed up a maibock"? If it's a kit, then the high gravity reading is probably a bit of poorly mixed extract in your sample, the calculated gravity is far more likely to be correct unless you've made a calculation error.
Post the ingredients/volumes here & someone more experienced will be able to advise you the correct gravity.


Cheers Ross
 
Cheers mate

that's a good point about about the poorly mixed extract in my gravity reading sample.

Ingredients are as follows.
I based it off a few recipes i'd found online for bocks with a couple of adjustments based on other brews i've done.
Kit Qty (Kg) LME Qty (Kg) DME Qty (Kg) Yeast Water Hops Predicted OG Predicted FG Predicted %Alc Czech Pilsner 3 Briess "Munich" (LME) 1.5 Breiss - Sparkling Amber 0.5 German Bock (WLP833) 22 Hallertauer Mittelfrh 50g 1072 1018 7.3
 
doh...the attachment didn't work^^

Maibock_ingredients.JPG
 
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