Pitch both yeast packs? Old and new?

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jsom

jsom

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I am brewing an IPA tomorrow, still a newbie, I bought a fresh wyeast 1056 dated a couple weeks ago, but I also have a 1056 dated May, the problem with the old may pack is it is inflated, been that way since I got it in the mail, but the nutrient pak is still entact/not popped.

Beer target OG is 1.076, its also a 3 gal batch size, I don't want to make a starter so...

Question: do I pitch
1) only new yeast pak
2) both old and new - no harm in trying???



image-4128141410.jpg
 
Well, even with a 3 gallon batch size, at 1.076 a single smack pack is a pretty significant underpitch - even if it was packaged today, let alone a couple weeks ago. So it can't hurt to pitch both. You won't get a lot of viable cells out of the pack dated from May, but it'll help a little bit.

Out of curiosity, why don't you want to make a starter? It's really not a complicated process.
 
Www.yeastcalc.com

Go to this site and plug in your numbers including the dates on the packs and you'll see viability and necessary pitch rate based on your gravity and batch size. Off the top of my head you should be fine with both packs and no need to starter.
 
duboman said:
Www.yeastcalc.com

Go to this site and plug in your numbers including the dates on the packs and you'll see viability and necessary pitch rate based on your gravity and batch size. Off the top of my head you should be fine with both packs and no need to starter.
Click to expand...

Sadly, that's quite really true. The pack dated from May would be about 10% viable right now. 3 gallons at 1.076 would need about 160 billion cells - his two smack packs would give him around 105. It'd get him there, sure, but it'd risk some off flavors.

Pitching those same two packs into a 1.3L starter for a day, then cold crashing it overnight, decanting off the liquid, and pitching the slurry, would give the ideal 160 billion cells though.
 
stratslinger said:
Sadly, that's quite really true. The pack dated from May would be about 10% viable right now. 3 gallons at 1.076 would need about 160 billion cells - his two smack packs would give him around 105. It'd get him there, sure, but it'd risk some off flavors.

Pitching those same two packs into a 1.3L starter for a day, then cold crashing it overnight, decanting off the liquid, and pitching the slurry, would give the ideal 160 billion cells though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm Mobil and couldn't plug numbers so if hats what it came out to be a starter would be recommended, I just went off the top of my head with a 3 g batch:)
 
You should make a starter. It's not difficult and your beer will benefit. But if you still don't want to, pitch both packs. The yeast in the old one is liable to be fairly stressed and could give you some off-flavors if you don't offset it by pitching a good colony of healthy cells along with it to get fermentation going as quickly as possible.
 
Thanks all.

I haven't had good results with starters for some reason, I have tried two batches with a starter and wasn't happy with the fermentation - tasted sugary I thought, but I am going to get a stir plate and try starters again, but not this batch.

So for tomorrow, I bought a second fresh 1056 today to add both fresh packs so I can get a high enough cell count and give myself the best chance at a quality brew, I will try starters again after this with a bit more planning.
 
Well, if it's Saturday you're brewing, then toss in all three packs. The old one will provide nutrients for the other two and you'll at least not waste any money.
 
Okay, I'm brewing - all 3 packs will go in, I'm hoping this is my best yet. I think I've been under pitching all along
 
That's why I like dry yeast. 1 pack of US-05 for under $4 would be the perfect pitch amount. I use S-04 and US-05 for 90% of my beers, and liquid only when the yeast character is a part of the style. Cheap, easy, no starters (they have 200 billion cells ea. for high grav. just pitch another pack).
 
jsom said:
Thanks all.

I haven't had good results with starters for some reason, I have tried two batches with a starter and wasn't happy with the fermentation - tasted sugary I thought, but I am going to get a stir plate and try starters again, but not this batch.

So for tomorrow, I bought a second fresh 1056 today to add both fresh packs so I can get a high enough cell count and give myself the best chance at a quality brew, I will try starters again after this with a bit more planning.
Click to expand...

I doubt that the results were about whether or not you made the starter. The main difference a stirplate makes is that you can use a smaller starter and it will be ready faster.
 
Damn I have a smack pack from may sitting around too...But I also have 3 jars of harvested yeast from the first smack pack. I guess I'll hold onto it for now. I didn't think yeast really died off that fast if refrigerated.
 

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