Smack pack didn't swell. Pitched anyway.

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AR-Josh

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Like the title says...

I also left for vacation and won't be able to check on the fermenter for a week. If nothing happens for a week, what are the odds that I can repitch and save the beer?

Anyone had this happen?
 
How long after you smacked it did you wait? What was the temperature like? Some will swell up quickly within 2-3 hours, others take a bit longer.

As for the beer, it's probably fine. Unless the yeast pack was expired or poorly treated there were probably still plenty of viable yeasties and you will come home to fermenting beer.
 
I've had one wait almost 12 hours to begin to swell. I'm sure you're fine.

In the event that all of your yeast is dead and never started fermenting your wort... since you won't be able to check for a week, I hope you like sour brews :D
 
I had 2 beers in Mr. beer fermenters one time, and they don't have an airlock to watch for activity. After a week I checked the gravity and one was down like it should be and the other was the same a when it started. I bottled the done beer and pitched the yeast from it in the other because I tasted the sample and it tasted ok. It fermented out and I bottled it, only to have undrinkable sour beer. I modified all my keg fermenters to use airlocks.
 
Waited 3 hours to pitch. I've used these packs several times and they always swell at least somewhat.
 
I had one take 3 days before it started to swell, I always smack them a few days ahead of time in case I have to get more yeast. I'm sure you are fine.
 
I've used Wyeast smack packs the last 4 batches and I'll say that I still have a great deal of trouble determining if I actually broke the nutrient pack inside the smack pack. From what I understand the nutrient is just there to get the yeasties in and active state for the ferment so if you failed to break the nutrient pack or it didn't swell like you would expect don't worry the yeasties are probably still viable and the fermentation will go on as expected.
 
jroot said:
I've used Wyeast smack packs the last 4 batches and I'll say that I still have a great deal of trouble determining if I actually broke the nutrient pack inside the smack pack. From what I understand the nutrient is just there to get the yeasties in and active state for the ferment so if you failed to break the nutrient pack or it didn't swell like you would expect don't worry the yeasties are probably still viable and the fermentation will go on as expected.
Click to expand...

Once you've smacked it, put the pack on a table and "knead" it from top to bottom until you find the pack. If its not broken, pressing on it in the pack will just make it slide around. If it's broken you can press it until its empty, and you will feel and probably hear the yeast nutrient squirting out of it.
 
FYI All. I was notified about 48 hours after pitching that the air lock was bubbling. Thanks to all who shared experiences and advice. Sometimes I think we just want to hear that others have been in our shoes and see what they did. :mug:
 
AR-Josh said:
FYI All. I was notified about 48 hours after pitching that the air lock was bubbling. Thanks to all who shared experiences and advice. Sometimes I think we just want to hear that others have been in our shoes and see what they did. :mug:
Click to expand...

Grats, hope the beer turns out delicious :mug:
 
I checked the gravity on this today and it is at 1.010. Which gives me about 6.8% abv. :drunk:

And here I was worried I'd get a bad fermentation because the smack pack didn't swell. Chalk up another learning experience.
 

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