Another thread about a shipped, bloated Wyeast package

[grv]

Hi all,

I wanted to brew an IPA with pac man yeast, so I started looking into avenues by which I could acquire some. My options seemed to be order from Morebeer.com or try to culture my own from a couple bottles of certain of Rogue's beers. Feeling a little less adventurous than some of you, I decided just to order some (yes, I know, "Boo!").

I would have ordered from my LHBS, but pac man is a tough one to come by. I probably should not order yeast to be shipped in summer, but I did. Should have ordered overnight, but I decided to take my chances. There - got the usual advice out of the way

Anyway, the calculated 3 day trip from Morebeer to my front door actually ended up taking 5 days. To be clear, the package is as bloated as it could be without exploding!

Manufacturing date is 6/12/13. I'm spinning up a starter right now to see if it's still viable. I don't plan on using it right now (making a bitter today), but if the starter takes, I am just going to harvest the yeast and know I have viable pac man to use in the next month or so.

Not sure why I am posting except to share the result, and ask if there is anything else I can do to ensure success. Planning on following Brulosopher's approach:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html

Thanks all!

 

[jakenbacon]

Sorry bro can't help you at all in any way, but your avatar is friggin hilarious

 

[smccarter]

I've had the same results a couple of times this year. I actually threw the yeast out and used Safeale-05 instead. Went to a new local brew shop and spoke with the owner who has been brewing since 1990 (I believe he said). He told me that even if there are just a few live cells left in the package, that I should do a starter and build it up. That the live cells would multiply and I could save the yeast. Sounded like good advice and left me wishing I hadn't thrown the yeast out.

I'm in the process of getting a process together to harvest yeast from previous batches. What I plan to do is harvest yeast throughout the cooler months and use that yeast during the summer so I don't have to order liquid yeast during the hotter summer months... July - Sept. Living in Florida and being way too cheap to pay next, or 2nd day shipping costs, this will have to be my process.

 

[kh54s10]

I have had several packs that were slightly inflated. I thought that I had broken the inner pouch but hadn't. I made the starter, added the nutrient from the pouch each time, and have had no problems.

So many of these posts are made after assuming the yeast was dead and the pack thrown away without even trying a starter.

 

[grv]

Sorry bro can't help you at all in any way, but your avatar is friggin hilarious

He's badass

 

[grv]

I've had the same results a couple of times this year. I actually threw the yeast out and used Safeale-05 instead. Went to a new local brew shop and spoke with the owner who has been brewing since 1990 (I believe he said). He told me that even if there are just a few live cells left in the package, that I should do a starter and build it up. That the live cells would multiply and I could save the yeast. Sounded like good advice and left me wishing I hadn't thrown the yeast out.

I'm in the process of getting a process together to harvest yeast from previous batches. What I plan to do is harvest yeast throughout the cooler months and use that yeast during the summer so I don't have to order liquid yeast during the hotter summer months... July - Sept. Living in Florida and being way too cheap to pay next, or 2nd day shipping costs, this will have to be my process.

I have had several packs that were slightly inflated. I thought that I had broken the inner pouch but hadn't. I made the starter, added the nutrient from the pouch each time, and have had no problems.

So many of these posts are made after assuming the yeast was dead and the pack thrown away without even trying a starter.

Good advice all around and I agree - most of these posts seem to be about chucking them. I don't know if a successful starter means that all is well and there won't be any off-flavors, etc., but I figured I would at least try. If anyone else knows what else to look for to gauge success, I am all ears.

I can say that when I pitched into the starter, the yeast looked and smelled normal. I am thinking that is a good sign!

 

[smccarter]

Also... I did look at your yeast harvesting page. I've had the same idea, but you put it all together very well. I'll be copying your process.

 

[grv]

Also... I did look at your yeast harvesting page. I've had the same idea, but you put it all together very well. I'll be copying your process.

Just to be clear - that's Brulosopher's idea and write up. I did try it for the first time with some Wyeast 1469 Yorkshire, because the LHBS always seems to have just one left. Made a stepped up 1.5L > 3L starter for my 10 gallon batch today, and stole two 500ml mason jars so I have them for my house bitter next time.

As for the pac man, it's bubbling away on the stir plate. Looks like even a wildly inflated smack pack that spent 5 days in transit with just a couple ice packs for company is not necessarily a lost cause!

 

[grv]

Some pix from my salvage operation. I did end up with an Oreo effect, with a couple dark layers sandwiching the yeast, even though I harvested right from the starter. Mini trub? Dead yeast cells? I don't know. Using it in the next couple months, so hopefully I'll be ok!

Edit: I especially like the look of concern on my kids face in the background. Needs a speech bubble: "Poor smack pack!!"