Smack Pack Question

jayhoz · 05-25-2007, 04:55 PM

I want to brew on Monday. My Wyeast smack pack arrives today, but I am going out of town till Sunday. Which of the following options would you suggest:

1) Smack the pack and immediately pitch the contents into a starter till Monday.
2) Smack the pack on Friday, pitch the contents into a starter on Sunday evening for a Monday morning brew.
3) Brew next weekend when I can get the starter going properly.

Thanks

Padstack31 · 05-25-2007, 05:21 PM

2 sounds like the option I would do...no need to postpone the brew session I think it just might take a bit longer for the yeast to get going...

ColoradoXJ13 · 05-25-2007, 05:39 PM

um, why not just smack it monday when you start brewing...or a few hours ahead of time? I used a smack pack once, started it when I started brewing, it was swollen when I was done, pitched, no problems.

**DeathBrewer** · 05-25-2007, 06:32 PM

smack it now, put it in the fridge on sunday, pour of the beer and pitch on monday

jayhoz · 05-25-2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathBrewer

smack it now, put it in the fridge on sunday, pour of the beer and pitch on monday

You mean smack and pitch it in the starter now?

**Jaybird** · 05-25-2007, 07:17 PM

I have used smack packs a tun of times without a starter just warm to room temp in the morning of (if AG) then pitch when your brew is ready. If extract (only 3 hour brewday) wakeup early to smack. It takes about 6-8 hours to get the thing REALLY swolen and ready to pitch. and remember to sanitize the sizzors your going to cut it open with and sanitize the smack pack bag itself. alcohol works really good for that. But NEVER NEVER NEVER postpone a BREWDAY

JJ

**DeathBrewer** · 05-25-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayhoz

You mean smack and pitch it in the starter now?

yeah, two days is good for a starter. then if you put it in the fridge for a day, the yeast will settle to the bottom and you can pour of the nasty oxidized beer

**TheJadedDog** · 05-25-2007, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathBrewer

smack it now, put it in the fridge on sunday, pour of the beer and pitch on monday

This is what I would do. I often travel for work during the week so I make a starter on Friday night or first thing Saturday, then throw it in the fridge Monday morning on my way out the door to the airport. I'll take it out of the fridge Friday night when I get home and brew on Saturday. Works every time.

CBBaron · 05-25-2007, 10:18 PM

Based on recommendations from mrmalty.com I'm going to say 2). Make the starter Sunday evening and brew Monday. From the recommendations on that site the yeast populations appear to reach maximum at 8-16hours after pitching in a starter.
I think you could smack and make the starter Sunday without a problem.
Craig

jayhoz · 05-29-2007, 02:50 PM

In the end I smacked and pitched immediately into the starter on Friday. I put the starter in the fridge on Sunday night. Decanted on Sunday AM and pitched the slurry at 2pm or so. When I got home at 11:30pm there was airlock activity.

Thanks for the suggestions.