Pacman Starter vs Smackpack

I'm brewing a DIPA and didn't make a starter with the pacman yeast like the recipe called for instead I simply pitched the smack pack. It started bubbling within 24 hours but I wanted to know if anyone has done this before and if so how did it affect the FG.

Hopstep said:

I'm brewing a DIPA and didn't make a starter with the pacman yeast like the recipe called for instead I simply pitched the smack pack. It started bubbling within 24 hours but I wanted to know if anyone has done this before and if so how did it affect the FG.

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Depends. Is your Double IPA a Double in the meaning of just Hops, or is it also a Double with the Grain Bill? What was your OG?

Smack packs just proof the yeast. Meaning, if the package swells, you know your yeast is good. However, that is one of the most efficient yeasts out there... you should be fine.

Next time, make a starter. Your beer can develop problems when you underpitch.

My OG was 1.08 and it's been in the secondary for about 10 days yesterday it read 1.033

A 1.080 OG beer is a pretty big beer to pitch directly from a smack pack. I would not even pitch that big a beer from a starter, but would pitch on a yeast cake from a 1.060 or less beer instead.

Just tonight I pitched 1.074 OG beer on to a Pacman cake. From my experience, in 14 days, it will be around 1.016 FG.

It really pays to plan ahead and make a progression of bigger beers to pitch on yeast cakes.