Wyeast Activator?

How long should it take for the Activator packs to swell and how much should the package swell? I had a late night last night so at about 2:45a.m. I came in, took the pack out of the refrigerator, popped the nutrient pack and let it sit overnight. This morning the package hasn't really swollen but I can hear a little activity inside.

The directions say to smack the pack three hours or more before brewing so I thought the middle of the night last night would be fine. How long should I wait before pitching this yeast? I haven't even started brewing yet so it'll be several more hours anyway. I'm hoping that it just took awhile for it to start since I took it right out of the fridge and not that it sat on a hot UPS truck all last weekend.

I've had variable results with thew Wyeast packs. Some of them take off almost immediately. Some take several days to show any noticeable activity. The older the pack, the longer it is likely to take.
Nowadays, I smack the pack, and add it to a well oxyginated starter about 1 day later. With an old pack, I leave it on the stir plate for up to two days. With a new pack, 18 - 24 hours is plenty.

It will take longer if you don't have a stir plate, and adding oxygen is a great way to get things moving quickly.

-a.

After you smacked it, was it in a warm place, or is it still pretty cool? did it expand at all? Smack it again and shake it good. I usually smack mine the night before I use it, and try to keep it about 70F its usually good and tight by then.....

It's always a good idea to make a starter with liquid yeasts. And you don't really have to smack the pack before you use it.

I ended up giving it a few good shakes this afternoon periodically and the pack expanded quite a bit...I was worried for awhile. The stir plate thing sounds great but I'm not quite there yet with my equipment....Thanks for the replies!!

I've had smack packs six months old, never made a starter, and they turned out fine. The trick is to smack the pack 1 day for every month old the pack is. 6 days before pitching for a 6 month old pack. Works fine.

Well,...just over 12 hours and no visible action yet...

*Please work my yeastie little friends*

I would'nt start to sweat it, on a low gravity beer, I would'nt be bothered at 24hrs, but that me, if you can aerate it start some o2 up to them babies. If you dont have a pump or stone, then shake the hell out of it, rock it back and fourth what ever you can do to get some o2 in there....What do you think the temp is?

I'm sitting between 72-74*F... It should cool down today maybe a couple of degrees. I had my garage door open all day yesterday which caused the whole garage/basement area to heat up quite a bit. If it doesn't then I'll submerse it in a water bath.

I was a little worried about shaking the carboy still but I guess you can shake it as much as you want right?

dont go to the water bath till it kicks off. Yes its fine to aerate if there are no visible signs of fermentation.......Your temp is ok, just remember when it starts to ferment hard thats when you need your temps down, because it generates heat and the yeast will throw weird flavors. So shake it up its ok as long as its not going, once it starts keep it 68F if you can. or at least your recommended temp for that yeast

What are you brewing?

Its a Bavarian Hefe....OG was 1.034...Is that low for a Hefe?

AND WE HAVE BUBBLES!! Now I can really just sit back and relax....and drink another brew!