My First Lager, Help!

[Quin]

If you have access to more smack packs, I would add them as soon as possible (at least three).

If you don't have a HBS close by, might as well order another smack pack and make at least a 2L starter when the fermentation stalls. Pitch it at high krausen.

[Quin]

Wow. So when you lager folks make a beer like this do you generally step up a starter or repitch from a previous batch? Does anybody actually make a 5 liter starter all at once?

Generally repitch from a previous batch, but you have to do a starter for the first one. I'm usually starting out with a 1.048 Helles or something small like that first. Even then, it takes about a 2gal starter w/ 2 smack packs on a stir plate. I use a 3 gal Better Bottle on an orbital stirrer.

[bhaslip]

Good news. I stopped by my local microbrewery (my brother-in-law is the brewmaster) and he said he had some amazing lager yeast. He filled me a mason jar from the large conical. I went home and pitched and within 15 minutes it was chugging along like crazy.

[bashcraft]

Good news. I stopped by my local microbrewery (my brother-in-law is the brewmaster) and he said he had some amazing lager yeast. He filled me a mason jar from the large conical. I went home and pitched and within 15 minutes it was chugging along like crazy.

Wow! You mean it still wasn't doing anything after 4 days? I'd be a little concerned about that, but at this point all you can do is wait and see.

[bhaslip]

I was getting a little action from the airlock and their was some krausen developing, but it was extremely slow due to the under pitching. It just needed a yeast boost.