White Labs yeast question...

[HardcoreLegend]

I used the White Labs California ale yeast pitchable vial for my latest brew. I have used the pitchable vials quite a few times with good success. Although I believe the wort was well aerated, fermentation was not very active for about two days, and now it is still bubbling about every 8 seconds after 6 days in the primary. My question is, is this typical of this strain of yeast? Is White Labs California Ale yeast known to be a slow starter? And or a slow finisher? Just curious. Thanks!

[Push Eject]

I've had good fermentations with that strain. I usually build up a quart starter or so and have a lag time of about 8 hours.

Is it particularly cold where you are?

[HardcoreLegend]

It's cold outside Push. But I have never had such a slow start before, or such a long lasting primary. I always ferment in my basement and never have much of any trouble with starting from the pitchable vials. Because I did'nt do anything differently, I suspected the yeast may have been the problem.

[Push Eject]

Those vials have a creation date on them... was it old?

[HardcoreLegend]

Good thinking, but nope. The local brewshop I get my stuff from always has fresh stuff, and California Ale is one of the more popular/common strains.

[l48shark]

I shook my CA ale tube and it fizzed badly when I opened it. I lost at least half the yeast to the floor, but I still had a very short lag time. No problems here. It was a very fresh tube used in an ideal temperature, by the way.

Cheers,
Ford