Wyeast

[Dirk7728]

Sorry, I'm a little confused. Is a wyeast smackpack yeast and starter all in one, or is it just a little nutrient in with the yeast? And if this is not the case, would we smack the pack, wait the three hours as recommended from the package, then add contents to the starter

I've never made a starter so we need 2L water, 200g DME, yeast nutrient, boil, cool, pitch yeast. Correct?

 

[biestie]

It's just a little food for the yeast. You could smack it and add to the starter, or you could add it without smacking. The smack pack is more to verify the yeast is viable than anything (if it doesn't swell, it's not).

Your ratio of water to DME is correct. I'm not sure if 2L is right for your beer or not. Mrmalty.com has a pitching rate calculator, as does beersmith. The default settings on those will give you very different numbers (mrmalty suggests making larger starters) and I usually do somewhere in between.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

A smackpack is not a starter.... it's just a neat li'l marketing gimmick that shows your yeast is viable once you smack it.
If you're making a starter (which you def. should), you can either smack or not smack the pack, and pitch it into your cooled starter wort.

 

[Golddiggie]

The nutrient pack in the Wyeast 'smack pack' is to proof the yeast. IF you smack it, give it enough time (depending on the date on it) and it doesn't puff up, you can return it and get another (the LHBS I sometimes get my yeast from, now, will replace it for free, since they'll get a replacement from Wyeast).

If you're getting into making starters, look to get/make a stirplate too... It will allow you to make much smaller starters that are finished much sooner. Typically my starter is finished within 24 hours from when I pitch the yeast into the cooled starter wort. I then chill it in the fridge overnight (or about 24 hours) before I decant and pitch the yeast slurry. Decanting means you're pitching almost pure yeast, not spent starter too. I usually don't have the extra space to include 2-3L of starter along with the wort in primary.

 

[pabloj13]

the nutrient pack in the wyeast 'smack pack' is to proof the yeast. If you smack it, give it enough time (depending on the date on it) and it doesn't puff up, you can return it and get another (the lhbs i sometimes get my yeast from, now, will replace it for free, since they'll get a replacement from wyeast).

If you're getting into making starters, look to get/make a stirplate too... It will allow you to make much smaller starters that are finished much sooner. Typically my starter is finished within 24 hours from when i pitch the yeast into the cooled starter wort. I then chill it in the fridge overnight (or about 24 hours) before i decant and pitch the yeast slurry. Decanting means you're pitching almost pure yeast, not spent starter too. I usually don't have the extra space to include 2-3l of starter along with the wort in primary.

+1

 

[Pezman1]

I still smack the pack the morning I make my starter just for proof of viable yeast. I often get my yeast through mail-order, and the Texas heat can literally be murder on yeast even when shipped with an ice pack.


Easy starter: 1/2 cup dme in 650 mls H20. I use this in everything under 1.065. There are calculators such as Mr Malty if you care to do the math for each beer. Pez.