Wlp800 Or Me?

[grod5]

Started a brew of NNL Bo Pils fresh Wort kit on Tuesday with my WLP800. No activity has been seen so far. SG today = OG, still at 42. Pitched at 20 DEG. then let drop to 12 over 24 hours.

I have slowly been raising temp and even splasshed the stirring spoon in to add some air now have been at 16 for 12 hours.

Should I give up and add some S-23, wait some more or tip the bugger out?

daniel

 

[goatherder]

Tell us about the yeast pitch.

Did you make a starter? Was it a fresh vial?

 

[grod5]

Scott,

no starter just from vial, warmed to wort temp. This is my second go at WL yeast. The first WLP060 worked great with an American Amber from Mark's. This little bugger has me stuffed.

I did notice that with the 060 when the vial was cracked it wanted to spew past the seal, but the 800 just sat there.

Please give me some sort of hope.

daniel

 

[Weizguy]

Daniel,

I'd say to keep the lid on the fermentor, and wait for the yeast to come good. Otherwise U may get a contaminant yeast feasting on yer wort.

I've seen a lager yeast pitched at 10 C which took a couple of days to show signs of activity, then fermented slowly for weeks. I turned up the temp to 11C, and then 12C to help the beer finish up in the 4th week.
I believe that the yeast was sleepy, after close to fully attenuating in the culture bottle, even after waking it up with 2 1/2 litres of the wort for a few days.

Was your yeast active at pitching?

Sorry for butting in, Mr G Herder.

Seth

 

[grod5]

Seth,

not too sure "active at pitching" is but no activity so far.

daniel

 

[Jazzafish]

I made a starter of this a little while ago. It did take a while to kick off... I remember it was something like 3 to 5 days before it formed a krausen. I was giving it a one more day before I was going to give up on it.

The 060 is a pretty agressive ale yeast, and you can get away with lower pitching rates.

Next time I'd make a 600ml starter a couple of weeks before, and stepping it up to become a 2 litre starter.


So to answer your question, give it time. This brew will also need a diacetyl rest for sure!

 

[Hogan]

not too sure "active at pitching" is but no activity so far.

daniel

Daniel.

My last wlp800 was pitched from a 2lt starter at 21c. Whitelabs recommend leaving it at that temp until definate signs of activity have commeced - ie some hint of krausen on top or around the rim. (mine usually takes about 6 hours with the starter) Then drop it down to your ferment temp over a number of hours.

Don't worry - give it time. It's a lager and is meant to make you wait.

Cheers, Hogan.

 

[grod5]

Thanks for the feedback. I came home from work today and discovered (no nothing to do with the missuz and milk man) that there was a slight foamy layer forming.

I will make a starter if I use this again.

daniel

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Thanks for the feedback. I came home from work today and discovered (no nothing to do with the missuz and milk man) that there was a slight foamy layer forming.

I will make a starter if I use this again.

daniel

It looks as though the WLP800 has kicked into action.
From previous experience using this yeast, you must ensure that you have a large head space in your fermenter otherwise Mr.WLP800 with be coming out to enjoy your company.
The recommended fermenting temp is between 10 - 13 degrees C....I'd be keeping it at the lower end of the scale.
Good luck, I find this yeast an absolute ******* to control.

Regards,
Lindsay.