Lager started fermenting only after 5 days

[Angelito]

So I am brewing my second larger (more experienced with ales) and was my first time using liquid yeast (normally using dry yeast). I am not sure exactly why (maybe due to reach at some point in time 7 degrees - right now is at 11 degrees), but my lager has only starting fermenting after 5 days. Should I add more yeast or let it be? Any advice? Thanks

 

[Minbari]

Let it ride, totally normal for a lager. It's cold and they take longer

 

[Donoroto]

Agree. If it had not yet started, ok to add more yeast. But if it is bubbling, keep going. Just expect it could (will) take a lot more time than an ale. Weeks.

 

[sbaclimber]

Agree with the others....2-4 days is not unusual. A good starter can help, but even with that, I have almost never had a fermentation take off in <24hrs. Normal is more like 48-72hrs, and if I have just sprinkled dry yeast over 9°C wort...4-5 days has happened.
RDWHANHB

 

[TetersMillBrewing]

So I am brewing my second larger

I agree with everyone, if you have signs of fermentation just give it time. If you have temperature control you will need to bring temperature up for a diacetyl rest when you are a few points away from what your final gravity. I try to bring mine up to around 68F when I am around 5 points from FG.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Well, not to go against the grain, but that’s way too long of a lag. There are a number of reasons why lag times are long, pitch rate is one of them. Lag times on a properly pitch lager can take up to 24 hours, 30 at the most. Ideally the lag should be 12-20 hours. Some yeasts take longer than others. 34/70 dry yeast takes a little longer than 2124, 833 is a fast starter.

Lags times are an indication of yeast and fermentation health. There are a couple of reason lag times can be long:

1. Low pitch rate, pitch rates should be 1.5 million cells per mL per degree Plato. I like a 2.0 pitch.
2. Low oxygen levels in the wort at pitch. Lagers need more oxygen than ales, up to 18ppm. To get that high requires pure oxygen.
3. Poor yeast health. Old yeast is tired yeast, yeast needs to be very fresh, it can’t set around after it’s done in the starter. Pitch 1-3 days after the starter is done.
4. Yeast have been shocked. This can come from a sudden temperature drop. It best to pitch at or near the wort temperature. Pitching cold yeast slurry into warmer wort doesn’t seem to be as big of a problem, it’s more of a problem the other way around.

Good luck and happy brewing.

 

[TetersMillBrewing]

Well, not to go against the grain, but that’s way too long of a lag.

Great summary on core causes on the issue of a long lag time for fermentation @HighVoltageMan! , thanks. I have never really had any unexpected long delays on my lagers, but that is probably because I have always over-pitched the amount of yeast. For dry yeast, I normally pitch one pack per five gallons.

 

[Sandy Feet]

I get to taste mine this weekend before it lagers, but it took right off. However, I overpitched the living crap out of it using 34/70. I also fermented at 54-55F for about 3 days. Slowly raised to 64-65 for 3 days and dropped back down to around 53 where I left it. I was hoping it would clear a little more at the cooler temperature, but I didn't want the yeast to totally drop out before I transferred it into the keg. I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I have never done one before.
If it is active, let it do its thing.

 

[Minbari]

Well, not to go against the grain, but that’s way too long of a lag. There are a number of reasons why lag times are long, pitch rate is one of them. Lag times on a properly pitch lager can take up to 24 hours, 30 at the most. Ideally the lag should be 12-20 hours. Some yeasts take longer than others. 34/70 dry yeast takes a little longer than 2124, 833 is a fast starter.

Lags times are an indication of yeast and fermentation health. There are a couple of reason lag times can be long:

1. Low pitch rate, pitch rates should be 1.5 million cells per mL per degree Plato. I like a 2.0 pitch.
2. Low oxygen levels in the wort at pitch. Lagers need more oxygen than ales, up to 18ppm. To get that high requires pure oxygen.
3. Poor yeast health. Old yeast is tired yeast, yeast needs to be very fresh, it can’t set around after it’s done in the starter. Pitch 1-3 days after the starter is done.
4. Yeast have been shocked. This can come from a sudden temperature drop. It best to pitch at or near the wort temperature. Pitching cold yeast slurry into warmer wort doesn’t seem to be as big of a problem, it’s more of a problem the other way around.

Good luck and happy brewing.

All good points, i know my first couple lagers were underpitched for sure.

But if it has started, leave it alone at that point

 

[sbaclimber]

Well, not to go against the grain, but that’s way too long of a lag. There are a number of reasons why lag times are long, pitch rate is one of them. Lag times on a properly pitch lager can take up to 24 hours, 30 at the most. Ideally the lag should be 12-20 hours. Some yeasts take longer than others. 34/70 dry yeast takes a little longer than 2124, 833 is a fast starter.

Lags times are an indication of yeast and fermentation health. There are a couple of reason lag times can be long:

1. Low pitch rate, pitch rates should be 1.5 million cells per mL per degree Plato. I like a 2.0 pitch.
2. Low oxygen levels in the wort at pitch. Lagers need more oxygen than ales, up to 18ppm. To get that high requires pure oxygen.
3. Poor yeast health. Old yeast is tired yeast, yeast needs to be very fresh, it can’t set around after it’s done in the starter. Pitch 1-3 days after the starter is done.
4. Yeast have been shocked. This can come from a sudden temperature drop. It best to pitch at or near the wort temperature. Pitching cold yeast slurry into warmer wort doesn’t seem to be as big of a problem, it’s more of a problem the other way around.

Good luck and happy brewing.

All good points....and I think I have 1 + 3 covered almost every time, and probably 2 as well (played around with aeriating wort back in my ale brewing days, but haven't done much dedicating testing with lagers though...).
4 is probably what has been causing some of my long lag times...and temperature seems to be a pretty big factor no matter what. My 2nd to last brew was 26liters @ ~10°C and I just sprinkled 2 packets of dry czech lager yeast on top. Took 3+ days before I saw any krausen and activity.
Harvested the slurry off that brew, kept it cold for about and week and threw in my last brew before I had the wort fully cooled (~30°C+). It is off and running in less than 12hrs and now down to ~11°C!