Smack pack issues

[Capnken]

I brewed an IPA 2 days ago and I used a smack pack yeast. I smacked it and left it for a day and it didn’t really swell that much. So when I pitched it only half the pack was opened when I smacked it. So I opened the other little pack and pitched it and aerated the hell out of it with a wine degasser. So far I don’t have any activity in the lock. It’s in a bucket so I can’t see what’s going on. Thinking I’ll just rock the bucket today and maybe raise the heat. Setting at 68 right now. Any suggestions? I’ve had slow starting fermentation before but this is the first time I’ve used a smack pack and probably the last.

 

[Brewers Hardware]

The yeast could have been old. Know what the use by date was? I've had pretty good luck with smack packs but it usually only takes a few hours to fully swell.

 

[bleme]

I'm a one-and-done smack pack user also. Mine left the nutrient pack intact but busted the outside envelope instead, dumping a third to half my Ardennes yeast on the floor.

It really sounds like most of your yeast was dead for whatever reason. Chances are good that there were some live ones in there though. As long as your sanitation was good, they should eventually get going. It's just not an optimal situation.

 

[Steveruch]

I'm a one-and-done smack pack user also. Mine left the nutrient pack intact but busted the outside envelope instead, dumping a third to half my Ardennes yeast on the floor.

I mostly use dry yeast, but when I do go smack pack I do not smack it. I hold it upside down at an angle and when the inner pouch sinks into the corner I gently squeeze, slowly increasing pressure, until I feel the inner pouch pop.

 

[bleme]

I mostly use dry yeast, but when I do go smack pack I do not smack it. I hold it upside down at an angle and when the inner pouch sinks into the corner I gently squeeze, slowly increasing pressure, until I feel the inner pouch pop.

Too bad they don't put those instructions on the pouch...

 

[OnePlate]

ISo far I don’t have any activity in the lock. It’s in a bucket so I can’t see what’s going on.

You could have a bad seal on your bucket lid. I'd just take a look inside to see what's happening.

 

[Steveruch]

Too bad they don't put those instructions on the pouch...

They'd have to change the name to "gently squeeze with slowly increasing pressure pack".

 

[RPh_Guy]

Making an actual starter on a stir plate is the best option.

Any suggestions?

Take a specific gravity reading. If it hasn't changed, pitch more yeast.

 

[bkboiler]

Haha...yep...on my 2nd brew ever I smacked the pack too hard and it exploded onto the wall...

I just got a squeegee and scraped it off, jk...I think I drove and got dry yeast at the LHBS.

 

[kh54s10]

I make a starter whenever I use liquid yeast. You never know how well the yeast has been handled before you get it. I have not used any of the newer ones that claim to be at less 200 billion cells though.

Smack packs don't always swell. The inner pack is just nutrient and it should produce some co2 thus the swelling but not always.

Bucket - leaky lid. That is very often the end result of a post like this.

I would not raise the temperature above 68. Either confirm that you do in fact have fermentation or pitch more yeast and keep the temperature cool. I do most ale yeasts around 64-66 degrees.

 

[Capnken]

Guys thanks for the answers. I’d never used a smack pack, and it’s unlikely I will do it again. I normally use dry yeast. I makes starters for skeeter pee but I never have for beer. I cranked the heat for the last 8 hrs to see if I could get something going but nada. and when I looked in it was as flat as could be. No ring, no sign of any fermenting, it looked like fricken ice tea. I had another pack of dry yeast, it was old but thank goodness I had it, with everything shut down now. I pitched it and we’ll hope for the best.
Brewing must go on.
By the time this beer is ready to drink this Virus better be gone from here, gone from the planet.

 

[Capnken]

I make a starter whenever I use liquid yeast. You never know how well the yeast has been handled before you get it. I have not used any of the newer ones that claim to be at less 200 billion cells though.

Smack packs don't always swell. The inner pack is just nutrient and it should produce some co2 thus the swelling but not always.

Bucket - leaky lid. That is very often the end result of a post like this.

I would not raise the temperature above 68. Either confirm that you do in fact have fermentation or pitch more yeast and keep the temperature cool. I do most ale yeasts around 64-66 degrees.

By the way I appreciate you post. Good info. I do know the bucket is good it’s my newest bucket and that lid is tight. The temp when I pitched the smack was 62.
By morning it was 68. Right now it’s 72. I should of got a reading before I pitched again but it was so flat and clear I just went ahead. I’ll just let it go back to 68 or lower. Thanks again.

 

[kh54s10]

By the way I appreciate you post. Good info. I do know the bucket is good it’s my newest bucket and that lid is tight. The temp when I pitched the smack was 62.
By morning it was 68. Right now it’s 72. I should of got a reading before I pitched again but it was so flat and clear I just went ahead. I’ll just let it go back to 68 or lower. Thanks again.

Even brand new buckets are prone to air leaks. It only takes a very small gap to let the co2 out. At 62 when you started would lead to a longer lag time than if you were 65 or above.. Wait a day or 2 weeks then take gravity readings. Gravity readings are the only sure way you will know for certain what is happening.

 

[brewkinger]

I’d never used a smack pack, and it’s unlikely I will do it again. I normally use dry yeast.

The lack of swelling in a smack pack is nothing to worry about. Like others mentioned, the date of manufacture plays a big role in viability. Assuming the yeast was not ridiculously old, it will most likley still be fine. There is plenty of cells in a pack to ferment a "normal" beer of OG < 1.060 without any need for even a starter.
Sometimes the pack doesnt swell. I certainly wouldnt let it deter me from ever using it again. There is so much more of a variety in liquid yeast than there is dry.

 

[kh54s10]

The lack of swelling in a smack pack is nothing to worry about. Like others mentioned, the date of manufacture plays a big role in viability. Assuming the yeast was not ridiculously old, it will most likley still be fine. There is plenty of cells in a pack to ferment a "normal" beer of OG < 1.060 without any need for even a starter.
Sometimes the pack doesnt swell. I certainly wouldnt let it deter me from ever using it again. There is so much more of a variety in liquid yeast than there is dry.

I agree with this but I ALWAYS make a starter with liquid yeast. You never know how the yeast was treated before you got it. High heat or very cold will make a big difference in the viability of even a pack with a recent manufacturing date.

I also would rather be sure I am pitching enough cells. Even though I have never direct pitched I would lower the "normal" beer OG to <1.040 if I ever direct pitch. That would be my personal threshold. YMMV.

 

[brewkinger]

I agree with this but I ALWAYS make a starter with liquid yeast. You never know how the yeast was treated before you got it. High heat or very cold will make a big difference in the viability of even a pack with a recent manufacturing date.

I also would rather be sure I am pitching enough cells. Even though I have never direct pitched I would lower the "normal" beer OG to <1.040 if I ever direct pitch. That would be my personal threshold. YMMV.

AGREED. I forgot to include that I always make a starter as well. I was simply paraphrasing from the WYEAST website about the 1.060 beer. Given how easy a starter is, I would also agree that my threshold would be 1.040-ish (which is what I usually make my starter wort at anyway.
A starter is simply a great idea to make sure that the yeast is up for the task.

 

[Capnken]

An update on the batch with the smack pack.
I pitched the SP on 3-22 OG 1.042
No activity 3-24.
Pitched dry yeast 3-24. Activity started
3-31 dry hopped in primary , reading of 1.011
4-7 transferred to secondary.
Today, still a little activity in lock.
I’m afraid to bottle it with it still fermenting.

 

[kh54s10]

An update on the batch with the smack pack.
I pitched the SP on 3-22 OG 1.042
No activity 3-24.
Pitched dry yeast 3-24. Activity started
3-31 dry hopped in primary , reading of 1.011
4-7 transferred to secondary.
Today, still a little activity in lock.
I’m afraid to bottle it with it still fermenting.

In the future, skip the secondary. That is a hold over from earlier times. It provides just a slight amount of clearing and increases the chance of oxidizing your beer or introducing contaminates.

It is probably not fermenting - just some co2 coming out of solution. Take another gravity reading. If it is 1.011 it is ready to bottle.

You should also dry hop closer to the time you are going to bottle. I would go no longer than 7 days.

 

[Capnken]

In the future, skip the secondary. That is a hold over from earlier times. It provides just a slight amount of clearing and increases the chance of oxidizing your beer or introducing contaminates.

It is probably not fermenting - just some co2 coming out of solution. Take another gravity reading. If it is 1.011 it is ready to bottle.

You should also dry hop closer to the time you are going to bottle. I would go no longer than 7 days.

Ok thanks man. I was going to bottle after 5 days but saw there was still a little activity and didn’t want any explosions. 10/4