Adding Muntons on Day 2 of fermentation with WYEAST 1056

[biggrizzly]

I started fermentation yesterday with a smack pack of WYEAST 1056 American Ale yeast. I have had the smack pack for about 60 days in the refrigerator. It was puffed out but the inner nutrient pack was not broken. A friend told me to cut the smack pack open and scoop out the yeast, adding the nutrient pack to it and stirring. I did this but would think the yeast count would be down a bit because its difficult to get all the yeast from the inside of the packet.

I oxygenated normally and pitched the yeast. I have a little activity this morning but not hardly anything compared to what I'm accustomed to.

My question is this. Would it hurt to add Muntons yeast on top of the 1056? This is for an American IPA.

 

[LAbrewer]

scoop out yeast? Never scoop. Shake and pour.

Firstly, you need to make a starter with old yeast like that to see if it is still good. I'd pitch the packet based on your description. Nothing worse than underpitching and under oxigenating. Other than maybe high ferment temps.

what was the OG?

 

[BigRob]

If you have activity, leave it alone. If you absolutely, positively, must add some dry yeast for whatever reason, grab some Safale US-05, it's a dry version of 1056.

The nutrient pack is a nice easy indicator that your yeast is alive. You don't need to smack it, it doesn't increase the cell count, or do anything other than help the yeast swell up the package. Also smack packs are rarely sufficient in terms of cell count for a 5g batch, so making a starter when using them is something you should consider.

 

[biggrizzly]

Thanks for the replies. I'll give it until tonight and see if the activity picks up. I really have been wanting to begin creating starters but perhaps don't understand the process as well as I should. I need to sharpen my pencil in this area.

 

[Golddiggie]

What was the date on the actual pack? IME, 2+ month old yeast can take longer to get going to the same level as fresher yeast will. Leave that crappy Muntons yeast out of the brew. Unless you plan to boil it and add it as food for the yeast already in there.

Learn about making starters. Get/make a stirplate and get either a 2L or 3L flask (1L flasks are pretty much useless for 5+ gallon batches).

I would also head-slap that friend. Don't listen to him for any future yeast information/advice. The nutrient pack is to 'proof' the yeast. As in prove to you that it's still healthy/viable enough to get the job done. That being said I would also use yeastcalc.com to figure out what size starter you need for the batch (based off of batch size, OG, and yeast production information). With either a 2L or 3L flask, you can do a stepped starter schedule and get more yeast than a single step that's several times larger.

 

[biggrizzly]

What was the date on the actual pack? IME, 2+ month old yeast can take longer to get going to the same level as fresher yeast will. Leave that crappy Muntons yeast out of the brew. Unless you plan to boil it and add it as food for the yeast already in there.

Learn about making starters. Get/make a stirplate and get either a 2L or 3L flask (1L flasks are pretty much useless for 5+ gallon batches).

I would also head-slap that friend. Don't listen to him for any future yeast information/advice. The nutrient pack is to 'proof' the yeast. As in prove to you that it's still healthy/viable enough to get the job done. That being said I would also use yeastcalc.com to figure out what size starter you need for the batch (based off of batch size, OG, and yeast production information). With either a 2L or 3L flask, you can do a stepped starter schedule and get more yeast than a single step that's several times larger.

Golddiggie,
Thanks for the reply. I didn't do anything. This afternoon (Sunday 23rd) it was bubbling away. I need to go back and read my books. I have several, but I have just put off this starter thing. I have several things I want to incorporate into my brewing but time and money have been slowing me down. I also want to buy a small chest freezer to use as a controlled fermenter. I'm still fermenting in the corner of my dinning room. Lucky we keep the thermostat fairly constant at 67. Yeast starters and fermenting chamber are next additions for sure.

 

[BWN]

Remember if your ambient temp is 67 you are probably fermenting at 72 or even higher.