Shortest Lag Phase

[Ironman]

I brewed up an English ale which was in the closet by 7pm. By 10pm the airlock was bubbling briskly and by 6am it was hissing and spitting (leaving a mess 6 feet up the wall). I used one pack of Windsor dry yeast which I rehydrated. Anyone else have such quick starts. I used to pitch one vial or smack pack of liquid yeast and wait 24-72 hours to see activity. The guys in my brew club told me that the LHBS mistreats the liquid yeast so I only buy their dry yeast. I've had very good results so far.

[3 Dogs]

Not with the first time using any type of yeast. 3 hours is pretty good. Keep the temps down though, as you said it was fermenting in a closet. I had a lag time of an hour using a yeast slurry from a previous batch though.

[Bugeater]

Considering average closet temperatures this time of year, this quick a response from that yeast is to be expected. If your use of liquid yeasts does not include making a starter first, you were only pitching about half the needed amount of yeast for a 5 gallon batch of beer. With a proper starter, the liquid yeasts will normally get fermentation going within 4-6 hours with high krausen in 12 hours or so. The point here being that your LHBS may not have been mistreating the yeast. With no starter, 24 to 36 hours is to be expected.

Wayne

[Stinkfist]

My last batch a Belgian strong shown visible fermentation after 3 hours and had filled my blow off bucket with crap 12 hours later..I am still needing a blow off tube after 5 days...def the most violent ferment I have seen...lol

[Billy Klubb]

one time I brewed a porter, cooled my wort, pitched my yeast and and 30 seconds later had to put in in secondary. and when it was done fermenting, it was a pilsner. after a week in the bottles, it was a wit.

[SacoDeToro]

I routinely see activity within 30-60 minutes with WLP530 repitches; 1-2 hours for repitches of Wyeast 1056. I've even seen activity as soon as 4 hours with repitches of WLP830 at 50 degrees.

[brewinhard]

one time I brewed a porter, cooled my wort, pitched my yeast and and 30 seconds later had to put in in secondary. and when it was done fermenting, it was a pilsner. after a week in the bottles, it was a wit.

Man, you could brew up all the styles in one month!

[Billy Klubb]

one time I brewed a porter, cooled my wort, pitched my yeast and and 30 seconds later had to put in in secondary. and when it was done fermenting, it was a pilsner. after a week in the bottles, it was a wit.

Man, you could brew up all the styles in one month!

yeah, my lag time is so short I have to drink the beer 2 weeks before I brew it.