Duration of smack pack after activated?

I activated a smack pack then had the worst brewing day ever ending with my wort on the floor of the garage.

I placed my activated smack pack unopened in the fridge. How long will it last before it's useless? I could brew a small wort tonight to give it something to eat. I probably can't do a real brew until the weekend.

Thoughts?

It's always good to do a small starter to insure sufficient pitching numbers, it will be fine in the fridge until the weekend.

_

I've smacked yeast and let it sit out on the counter for almost a week. It fermented completely fine.

Hope this helps.

I'd go ahead and make a starter if you're worried. Then kiss a lesbian. Just to be safe.

It is a nutrient pack that is broken when you smack a smackpack, nothing more. Its not like the yeast die if you don't use them in time. Just like in your beer, they go dormant when they run out of nutrients. I'd make a starter to be sure, but you should be making a starter anyway.

broadbill hit the nail on the head. The yeastie beasties are fine, don't worry about the smack pack. Just pitch them into your starter like normal

you WERE going to make a starter weren't you?

I'm 50/50 on making starters but this time I will. I had a series a equiptment malfuntions ending with my wort on the floor of the garage. I can't rebrew this beer and blow it cause I couldn't make a starter. There will be short cuts on my second try.
Thanks guys.

Retrofit said:

I'm 50/50 on making starters but this time I will. I had a series a equiptment malfuntions ending with my wort on the floor of the garage. I can't rebrew this beer and blow it cause I couldn't make a starter. There will be short cuts on my second try.
Thanks guys.

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Just curious what is the doubt on making starters and how did that cause the unmentionable waste of our precious amber nectar Commiseration on the loss of your loved wort I know the pain.

I have had the reverse, had to pour perfectly good beer down the drain thanks to a stuck brew on a blonde that was sickly sweet and horrible and ended up as fish food. Ever since then I have been on a yeast kick making sure the little critters are healthy and happy. Once you get a process it is really nice knowing that your yeast is fit for the job and ready to ferment your wort out in short order. My last hefe fermented in less than 30hrs.

Clem

I should clarify my 50/50 statement. 50/50 is how often I do them. I believe in them and push for new brewers to use them, but those rules apply to newbs. Not experts like me, who in turn lose entire batches before the hops hit the boil.

I had several small problems with my beer including a soap "infection". I think my wife washed my brew in a bag bag with detergent because I could smell it as I neared boil. I went to talk with her and a tube broke. I was recirculation my wort to reach boil faster and in the minute I was gone. Maybe it was seven minutes, I pumped all my wort on to the floor of the garage. So that's how smart I am.

I'm going to make a starter tonight and brew tomorrow or the next day. I'm sure I'll become a legendary failure story my brew club retells for years and years.

Talk about pouring some out for your homies. . Thats sad. Sorry to hear about the mishap.