Is it enough?

I'm brewing the Northern Brewers Cream Ale all grain kit soon. I ordered two packs of wyeast 1056. Is this under pitching? This will be the first time I've ever used liquid yeast, so I plugged some numbers into an online calculator and I'm not that sure of the results.

 

I just bottled the same kit. I used only one 1056 smack pack, I held the fermenter to about 62/64 degrees F the first week. Took just about the entire 2 weeks to reach FG, and took a couple days to show any activity in the airlock. The fementor I used was a 6 gallon pal.

 

The Mr Malty pitching calculator says to make a 1 L starter (NB says the OG = 1040) with one package of yeast, or use 1.5 packages without a starter. You're in good shape.

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me!

 

Sorry to revive something a few days old but I just got my two packs of 1056 and I got them with the cold packs. But they were on the road for 5 days ( the 4th pushed back delivery) an the packs were room temp. And since this is the first time I have used the wyeast I'm not sure i the smack pack are piped but they do seem like they are full are air. Also the date is June 6. Does all this seem in order?

 

When they've been smacked, the packs become taut and rigid. If they've already been smacked, then you don't know whether the yeast is up and running, but it should still be good.

For a June 6 birthdate, Mr. Malty recommends a 1.4 L starter for 1 pack, or 2 packs without a starter.

 

You should be fine. Cream ale isn't high gravity, so even if you lost some yeast in transit, you'll have a good fermentation.

 

Mrmalty.com June 6 production date. Yeast with no starter = 1.9 packs. The inner pack is just nutrient. If you can, try to break the inner pack. The packs should swell some more. If not there is really nothing to worry about. The nutrient just "wakes up" the yeast and gets them ready to ferment the wort.

I suggest learning about making starters. You can make a starter for about an extra dollar where buying extra pack(s) cost about $7 each and a higher gravity beer might want 3 or more.

 

Yeah I'm planning on getting into starters. I have plans for a really big stout and then I'm trying to tackle a lager so I know I HAVE to use them then.

 

I received some liquid yeast from northern brewer and it was left on a dock for a few days, the only side effect is that the smack packs didn't inflate fast enough. As far as a June birthday that's some pretty fresh yeast. Mine I just referenced were a mid April date. All good just took an extra day to inflate, if your still worried if you got your yeast from northern brewer they do stand behind their products and will send out new if there's concern.