When Do You Pitch Lager Or Pilsner Yeast ?

[grod5]

Isn't this the question to the meaning of life itself? Do I pitch warm or cold? I'm sure there is even a song that mentions it.

From what I am to believe there is merit in both/ either.

daniel

 

[Julez]

I asked this same question to Chris White from White Labs when he was here in Brisbane. His recommendation was either:

1. Pitch at ale temps and slowly chill to lager temps. Apparently the odd flavours don't develop that early because the yeast is multiplying rahter than fermenting. By the time it starts fermenting, it's at the right temp. He said to bring it down over around 8 - 12 hours.

2. Pitch at ferment temp by increasing the pitch rate.

Chris recommended option 1.

This is the same advice as given on the Wyeast website - I am wondering if any of you lager brewers out there use method #1 successfully with normal pitch rates? I'm brewing a Czech Pils this weekend and I have a Wyeast Activator pack (1 only) and not enough time to make a starter. So if I follow method #1, I should be fine to not use a higher pitch rate, right?

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[lagers44]

Yes Julez , you should be right to pitch you're yeast. Aim to have around 18C pitch then keep it to where you can keep around 10c for fermentation. By the time the temp drops the yeast should ahve started working.
This method works well for most people.

Lagers

 

[Julez]

Yes Julez , you should be right to pitch you're yeast. Aim to have around 18C pitch then keep it to where you can keep around 10c for fermentation. By the time the temp drops the yeast should ahve started working.
This method works well for most people.

Lagers

Thanks Lagers

 

[goodbrew]

I've just made my first lager, a vienna lager. I made a 1 litre starter a few days ago which i had put in the fridge, yesterday when I did the brew i decanted most of the liquid and put the yeast into another 1 litre starter on the stir plate which reached high krausen in about 2 hours, the temp was around 23. When I pitched the yeast I put it into the fridge to chill down slighty before pitching into the wort at 18, which I then chilled to 11 degrees in under 12 hours. It has started to bubble through the airlock 1-2 times a minute atm, is this normal? the yeast I used was wyeast 2308. From all the reply's so far I'm starting to think I have stuffed it up.

john

 

[Tony]

i pitch mine at 18 deg and chill over night to 10 deg.

It takes a day or 2 to get going but thats normal for a lager yeast.

kick back and let it go nice and slow for a couple of weeks

cheers

 

[goodbrew]

i pitch mine at 18 deg and chill over night to 10 deg.

It takes a day or 2 to get going but thats normal for a lager yeast.

kick back and let it go nice and slow for a couple of weeks

cheers

cheers mate

The fermentor is bubbling away quite regularly now Now the hard part is waiting!!!!

john

 

[therook]

When you guys talk about lowering the temp after pitching a starter from 18c down to 10c how are you doing this.......using a fridgemate ?

also, if using a fridgemate can you run the risk of lowering the temperature to fast.?

What is the best way to get the happy medium of not lowering to fast but not leaving it at to high a temp to get some off flavours?

I'm about to pitch a starter onto an Octoberfest and have been thinking about this process

Rook

 

[matti]

Reduce temp no more then 3-4 degrees over 24 hour period.
2 days from 18 to 12 degrees.