[motmot126]

 Brewed my first lager 3 days ago. An Oktoberfest, 1.049 pitched 2 packs 34/70 dry not rehydrated yeast at 50°f. I’m now at 60 hours with no bubbling. At 44th hour raised to 53°f and at 48th hour raised it to 55°f. Anyone have any experience with this yeast they would like to share? Any thoughts, ideas, words of wisdom would be great thanks

[ynotbrusum]

Is their a possible leak in the fermenter lid?  Are you visually seeing no activity in the wort, itself or are you drawing this conclusion from an airlock that is not bubbling? If airlock is not bubbling, it could be many explanations, one of which would be yeast related.

Relax and give it time.  You pitched enough yeast for a five gallon batch at those temps.  Look inside, if you must, but it is likely fermenting away happily.

[motmot126]

Using a stainless conical without a sight glass, I think I’ll go out to garage and spray down the conical with star San to check for leaks. Thanks!

[motmot126]

Thanks for the advice,had a leak at cam lock connection from blow off hose to fermenter. She’s a bubbling now!
Also to a quick gravity reading. Wort/beer is at 1.044 .... feel much better now ...🍻 thanks again!

[Robert]

Curious as I'm considering direct pitching dry W-34/70 for an Oktoberfest this week.  Is this (~10% ADF at 60h) typical of this yeast?  With liquid cultures of the strain, at those temperatures, I expect to be approaching 50% ADF at that point. 

[tommymorris]

Curious as I'm considering direct pitching dry W-34/70 for an Oktoberfest this week.  Is this (~10% ADF at 60h) typical of this yeast?  With liquid cultures of the strain, at those temperatures, I expect to be approaching 50% ADF at that point.

The answer to your question probably depends on pitch rate and wort temperature (is the temp from OP’s example wort, ambient, vessel?)


- formerly alestateyall.

[dmtaylor]

I've seen big bubbling krausens within ~12 hours when I used this yeast.  60 hours is very abnormal.  The OP used 2 packs (for I assume 5 gallons) which should be PLENTY.

[motmot126]

Yes it is a 5 gallon batch. I control temp with glycol chiller

[Robert]

Thanks Dave and Tommy  -- just realized I should get an O-fest going despite having resolved to take a bit of a break.  I was planning to try the quick and dirty, pitch 2 packs on the warm side and then put in the fridge to finish cooling to fermentation temp.  Not my lager SOP but I'm encouraged to try this dry yeast.  Dry ale yeast is already changing my life. 

[goose]

I too am going to try this yeast for my next lager.  I have been a staunch 2124 fan for a long time and have turned to the Tasty McDole and Denny Conn methods of shorter fermentation times for my lagers.  However, my last Helles with 2124 threw off a bit of diacetyl.  After talking to Denny and Tasty at Homebrew Con, they suggested going this route.  Plus, not having to make a 4 liter starter for a 10 gallon batch is quite appealing to me!  It may be a bit more expensive to go this route but the time saving will be worth it.

[denny]

Curious as I'm considering direct pitching dry W-34/70 for an Oktoberfest this week.  Is this (~10% ADF at 60h) typical of this yeast?  With liquid cultures of the strain, at those temperatures, I expect to be approaching 50% ADF at that point.

How long is a piece of string?

[Robert]

I too am going to try this yeast for my next lager.  I have been a staunch 2124 fan for a long time and have turned to the Tasty McDole and Denny Conn methods of shorter fermentation times for my lagers.  However, my last Helles with 2124 threw off a bit of diacetyl.  After talking to Denny and Tasty at Homebrew Con, they suggested going this route.  Plus, not having to make a 4 liter starter for a 10 gallon batch is quite appealing to me!  It may be a bit more expensive to go this route but the time saving will be worth it.

"Fast" lager is nothing new.  According to Thausing, standard practice in his day (19th-early 20th c.) was for lagers to ferment 7-10 days at ~50°F, get kräusened, and be ready to drink after 8 days "lagering."  Homebrewers have been making things way too hard for themselves way too long.  Good on Tasty and Denny for trying to rectify the situation.

[jeffy]

I brewed a ten gallon bach of Pilsner with OG of 1.048 and tossed one packet of S23 into five gallons and the other half got one packet of 34/70.  After two weeks at about 55F the S23 was at 1.015 and the 34/70 was 1.013.

[dmtaylor]

"Fast" lager is nothing new.

Aw, man....... but I *so* wanted to jump on the bandwagon!!         

[mabrungard]

"Fast" lager is nothing new. 

I have to disagree. There are some lager strains that clean up quickly and others that don't. But this is in respect to producing great tasting beer. However you can certainly produce a passable lager 'fast'.