no fermentation after 4 days

[zac.evans]

I brewed a baltic porter on monday afternoon. I started my yeast starter that morning. I chlled the wort to 44° and pitched first thing tuesday morning. It is now Friday evening and the air lock is not bubbling. I checked the gravity and it is still at OG. Below are some details. What should i do now?

OG 1.080
2 vials of wlp830 german lager with 1 gallon starter on a stir plate.
Fermenting at 53°

Help please?

[spiderwrangler]

What temp was your starter? Are you sure you see NO signs of ferment, and it's not just going slowly?

[BDawg]

bucket fermenters are notorious for leaking CO2 out through the lid, causing the airlock to not bubble at all.

[zac.evans]

The starter was done at room temp. 72°. I do not see anything happening. This is my first go with lager yeast. My started did not look like it did anything either but i just assumed it was because it wasva lager yeast. I know that it is rare to get a bad vial of yeast bit 2 of them? I.am not thinking so.

[Kaiser]

How long did you let the starter go. Even with lager test you should see some activity in the starter.

do you have emergency dry yeast you can use?

Kai

[EL TIZZO]

if your starter was at 72 and your wort was at 44 you have temperature shocked the yeast...I chill and decant my starter a day or two prior to pitching and it can still take over 24 hours to get going...this way the wort and starter are at the same temp...i would make a new starter and hope it stays clean till its ready...good luck

Cheers!

[zac.evans]

My yeast starter went for about 24 hours. I chilled to 44° decant and pitched. I did not shock my yeast. I am going to get some dry yeast today.
I have raised the temp to 60° now just to see if i can see any kind of activity. If i dont see anything by the end of day i will repitch. Thoughts??

[Kaiser]

Do you have the ability to test pH of the beer? I have used the pH drop at the beginning of fermentation add a sign that there is activity when some of my batches took longer than expected to take off.

But with 2 vials in 1 gal you sound have seen some activity in the starter. I think your yeast was dead.

Kai