This is my third batch of beer. My first try at a German Amber Lager Oktoberfest. The White Lab Pitchable Liquid Yeast did not cause any fermentation. After 30 hours I panicked and added three packets of Fleishman's yeast (3/4 ounce) to five gallons of wort. Things started to happen and I got the bubbling effect in my primary fermentation for about two to three days. I thought the wort might be too warm and put in out in my shop where it went down to 50ºF. After about a couple more days in the cold shop (kit directions called for 50-65º temp for lager) I siphoned the wort into a carboy and now after six hours I have yet to see any sign of tiny bubbles migrating to the top of the carboy. It tastes like good beer but no apparent fermentation. If I let it sit for a week and add the Priming Sugar am I going to just get a flat beer or is there any hope for me here? Thanks for readying this long essay. Ed in Willits California

If you use liquid yeast you need to make a starter. I always use dry yeast and just pour it in. It has alot more yeast cells.
Once you rack it into the carboy it would need to build up pressure before you see any bubbles. It was probably done fermenting in the first 3 or 4 days since the bread yeast was addded. I would continue with the instructions to bottle and carbonate. After 2 weeks in the bottle if its not carbonated move them to a 65 to 70 place for a couple more weeks. Make sure the beer is never in the light. Good luck.

Like jeepguy said, unfortunately with the whitelabs yeast (and other liquid ones), you need to make a starter. If you don't, it can take up to 48 hours or so until you notice fermentation, because it can take that long to build the needed yeast count.
I don't think you have to worry about it carbonating fine, but you may have some yeasty flavors from overpitching.

If you use liquid yeast you need to make a starter.

Like jeepguy said, unfortunately with the whitelabs yeast (and other liquid ones), you need to make a starter.

This is not necessarily the case.

When using White Labs yeast one should always make a starter. I'd also recommend making a starter when using the small (i.e. 40 ml) Wyeast smack-packs.

However, Wyeast's large, Activator smack-packs have sufficient yeast to ferment a five gallon batch so there is NO need make a starter. I use them all the time.

I don't particularly like White Labs yeast for the simple reason you have no way of knowing if the yeast are viable or not. At least with the smack-packs you know there is some activity going on.

Okay now to your lager you have fermenter or as the case may be not fermenting. I suspect that one of the reasons the wort stopped fermenting when you reduced the temperature again is that I believe the Fleishman's yeast is an ale yeast not a lager yeast and as such goes dormant at about 55 F.

There still might be a little activity from the lager yeast you originally pitched but it may not be all that noticeable.

Placing your fermenter in a warmer place should start the fermentation going again. You will, of course, be making an ale not a lager but it may come out okay. I would try to keep the temperature in the low 60s F range to reduce ester formation.

People generally do not use Fleishman's yeast for a reason. But who knows? This batch of beer may come out really well. You'll just have to wait and see.

I hope this helps.

Good luck and please keep us posted as to the process of your beer.

Cheers,

Scott