Calcium vs. lag time

[Woolsocks]

Upon reading our water report recently, I realized that we're woefully short of Calcium. Feeling sorry for my yeasty brothers, I began treating the water so that I'd provide them at least 100ppm of Calcium ions for them.

To express their gratitude, they began having longer lag times! Instead of a few hours, now its more like 12-20 hours before I see activity.

My theory is that they have more calcium to use as construction material for new cells, therefore they make more cells, which increases lag time. Does anyone know if I'm right?

My other theory is that the lag time change is due to something else, but I have no idea what.

[lhall]

12 hours is not an unusually long lag time. I think your theory is correct, which will in the long run result in healthier yeast. Has your overall fermetation time increased as well?

[MikeJordan]

Woolsocks-

You're correct in the possible effects of Calcium with regards to lag time. The uptake of Ca2+ in yeast cells is a multifunctional role of this cation as a modulator of growth and metabolic responses. The ions have also been linked to cell cycle regulation and have been thought to aid in the transition from log to exponential phase in batch cultures.

I'm not sure what point of reference your using for your judgement of "activity". If you're looking at reduction in sugar density, cell growth and overall cell concentration then 12-20 hours is not bad. If your overall fermentation time has substantially increased then maybe some other measure need to be considered; maybe some yeast nutrient or pitching rate. It's possible something else is going on (yeast health?) but assuming everything else has remained the same you should be OK.

I would expect with the calcium addition you'll see increased flocculation which might make your life a little easier post fermentation.

Good luck!