WTF ..... Over

[one_eye]

Made a czech pils 4 weeks ago, it's been fermenting at about 45-50 F. Starting gravity was 1.047. I checked it today (because I thought I was going to transfer it and start lagering) and it was down to 1.043. I used the Wyeast 2000, and made a 4000 mL starter. It was bubbling, and had a good head on it. WTF.

I'm going to go out and give a good shake, wait a couple of days, and if it doesn't start looking better, I guess I'll pitch some more yeast.

[wezil]

Broken hydrometer?
Did you taste the hydrometer sample?

Brad

[one_eye]

Yeah, it was pretty damn sweet, not much different than the wort straight out of the boil.

[ragin_cajun]

Why is it so dark? I thought Czech Pils was clear gold. The Fermenter looks like it has a Stout in it.

[bperetto]

did you compensate for the sample temperature with the hydrometer? Even if you didn't, I doubt it'd be that far off.

[Speyedr]

Anything off in your mash?
Did you pitch warm and then drop temp or pitch cold?
Can you confirm the temp in your fridge?

If all else is right, send Wyeast a message. They are VERY responsive to user questions and will help out.

Rob

[Kaiser]

Made a czech pils 4 weeks ago, it's been fermenting at about 45-50 F. Starting gravity was 1.047. I checked it today (because I thought I was going to transfer it and start lagering) and it was down to 1.043. I used the Wyeast 2000, and made a 4000 mL starter. It was bubbling, and had a good head on it. WTF.

That certainly sounds odd.

When you say it was bubbling and having a good head, are you talking about the starter? Pitching a 4L starter at high kraeusen, should have given you a nice fermentation even with a temp as low as 45F, which would be a little low for most lager yeasts.

Have you ever seen significant activity in the primary?

Kai

[one_eye]

Hey All,

Thanks for the replys. I'm still baffeled, but after I made the post the other day I went out and shook the hell out of it (and continued to for the next two days), the fermentation seems to have picked back up, the kraeusen is back and there is a lot of activity in the air lock. I'm going to give it probably six more days and check the reading.

To answer some questions:

Why is it so dark? I thought Czech Pils was clear gold. The Fermenter looks like it has a Stout in it.

The lighting in the picture is off, the hydro sample shows a dark gold color.

did you compensate for the sample temperature with the hydrometer? Even if you didn't, I doubt it'd be that far off.

Yes.

Anything off in your mash?
Did you pitch warm and then drop temp or pitch cold?
Can you confirm the temp in your fridge?

No, the mash all seemed quite well, we hit our target within .001.
No, pitched cold.
Yes, I've got that stick on, and an anolog thermometer both in there.

When you say it was bubbling and having a good head, are you talking about the starter? Pitching a 4L starter at high kraeusen, should have given you a nice fermentation even with a temp as low as 45F, which would be a little low for most lager yeasts.

Have you ever seen significant activity in the primary?

I started the starter about 4 days before brew day and had it going in the same fridge. It didn't get to full kraeusen, there was some activity though.
I'm not sure what significant activity looks like on a lager (this is my first), there was some activity in the air lock and the kraeusen was in the pictures. The activity has been far more significant since I started shaking it up once a day though (and not just after the shake).