125 ml smack pack

Normally, I break the Wyeast smack packs (125 ml size), let them swell for 6 hours, make a starter, and pitch the starter after about 12 hours. I've had good results pitching while the starter is at peak and would like to keep doing it this way. Tonight, during an absent-minded move, I smacked the pack at around 6pm, planning to make the starter around midnight before I went to bed so that it would be ready at noon tomorrow. Out of pure carelessness, I timed things so that the starter would be ready at the time I would START brewing (noon), NOT the time I would finish (5pm). Basically, I would like to delay things as much as possible. The pack has been busted and swelling for about 3.5 hours. What's the longest these things should sit out before making the starter? I'm a night owl so I don't mind making the starter at 3 in the morning if I have to. If I didn't have friends coming over at noon to brew with me (tradition), I'd just wake up early and start, but I don't really want to ask them to come over at 7AM so I can pitch the yeast by noon. By the way, I'm planning for a 4-5 hour session because this is what my AG sessions normally run. After everyone finishes laughing, please help me out.

captaineriv
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Good to know. I felt silly asking because I've always had my timing down to an art. Shouldn't have had those beers when I decided it was time to activate the yeast tonight.



captaineriv
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