Pilsner slow to start

[andymacintyre]

The Dulux Chutney Pilsner has not really got going yet. This is my first experiment with lager. I pitched 2 10g packs of w34/70 into 40l of wort at 22c, left 30 mins by which time there was a lot of activity on the surface, then aerated the bejesus out of it.
After a gradual cool to 12c, it's been there for nearly 72 hrs. There is a thick head on the wort so yeast activity is visible. Gravity has not moved at all really. Maybe dropped a point from 1047 to 1046.
From the reading that I have done since, I suspect twice as much yeast would have been benficial. Am I just being impatient?
I am used to ale yeast dropping much faster than this.

 

[Friday]

My lagers take a about 4 weeks to finish at 1.05. Sounds like you did everything right, it just takes time. The other thing you might consider is your choice of yeast, I'm unaware of any powdered lager yeasts that are worth using. They just don't do well for me in the dehydrated form.

 

[Aleman]

Fermentis S-23, W34/70 (Weihenstephan) and S-189 (Hurrliman), are all true lager yeasts and all very well worth using as an alternative to liquid yeasts . . .There is a caveat though . . . you have to pitch big, and you have to pitch cold, 2 Packets minimum for 23Litres pitching at above 12C, 4 Packets pitching between 10-12C and 6-8 Packets below 9C . . . unfortunately Fermentis do not say this on their instructions (After all who in their right mind would buy 8 Packets of yeast to make 5 gallons of homebrew . . . Exclude me! Who Said I was in my right mind!) My last German Pilsner (20l) was pitched with 40g of W34/70 at 12C . . . After a week I pitched that starter into a further 65L of wort at 12C . . . even then it still took 24 Hours to show fermentation . . . and 14 days to complete the primary (To The OP Lager fermentations are slower, the Czech rule of thumb is 1 day for every 4 Gravity points, so a 1.048 beer will take 12 days for primary fermentation). . . . Does the long lag worry me? Not at all, I have regularly seen Czech brew masters pitch a couple of buckets of yeast into open topped fermenters in cellars at 4C with 3 days of lag time . . . some of the best beer of the style I've ever tasted.

 

[andymacintyre]

Many thanks for the info. I feel better prepared for oilsner #2 now..

 

[Friday]

Well there you go, I guess that's why dry lager yeast hasn't worked for me. I always do a starter with my liquid cultures I'll have to give it a go with the s-23.

 

[andymacintyre]

Well it's starting to drop now. 1035.
What does diacetyl taste like?

 

[Friday]

Butter.

 

[andymacintyre]

Tastes good on crumpets, but not so good in a lager.
Will try this diacetyl rest once it's reached FG.