Bad Wyeast, What can I do?

So I smacked my Wyeast pack several hours before I planned on using it, about 5hrs. When I went to check on it 5hrs later it hadn't inflated at all. I checked to make sure that I did break the thing inside the pack and it seemed that I did.

So I grabbed my starter flask and tossed the inactive yeast in it and added some DME. 24 hours later the yeast is hardly bubling and its has thinly formed at the bottem of the flask.

My question is, is the yeast still good? how long should I let it go in the starter? I want to pitch the yeast when its at its strongest.

Thanks,

Blue

I had a Wyeast not puff out for 12 hours - pitched it anyway and 24 hours later it was going great.

It's fine - relax. I would pitch it as soon as I can and would not wait. Lesser of two evils.

cool thanks!

Not a bad idea to have a packet or two of inexpensive dried ale yeast in the fridge for "just in case" situations. But some days they just don't want to get going as fast as you'd like them to.

+1 to the dry yeast backup.
+1 to go ahead and pitch it.

I agree to the dry yeast backup.

If you plan to do a lot of liquid yeast in the future it might pay to smack a bit earlier and/or build a ghetto stirplate. I have found that a stirplate helps out sluggish/old/hurt yeast cultures.

Since that time I have started to make a starter and switched to White Labs.