How long after smacking can I use a Wyeast smack pack?

[qvantamon]

So, I smacked a pack of London Ale yeast I had sitting around since April, and after about 4 hours, it was still flat. I decided to pitch a pack of dry Coopers instead, and set the liquid pack aside.

Wake up the next morning, and it looks like it's starting to wake up. Wake up today, and it's inflated like a balloon. Of course, by now the Coopers has all but finished the beer... so the London Ale will have to wait until the next brew.

Right now I have that big balloon of yeast on the table. How long until it's unusable? I suppose I can't put it on the fridge now that it's woken up...

 

[android]

maybe make a small starter with it, let it ferment out and then store it in the fridge until your next brewday. this way, you will make some new, viable cells that should strengthen the colony and be able to hibernate for a bit. then when you're ready to use the yeast, decant off the starter beer and make a new starter with it, i'm sure it'll crank the beer out just fine.

 

[Redbeard5289]

I believe I read somewhere that you are to allow an extra day for each month after the date stamped on the smack pack.

Just my two cents
Redbeard5289

 

[boo boo]

Put it into the fridge as is until you brew with it, providing you use it in a reasonable amount of time.
If you plan on delaying for a week or so then do as android said and make a small starter with it.

 

[MistyMountainHops]

FYI - it says on those packs that it doesnt necessarily have to swell at all for the yeast to be awake and ready to go to work (well, not like that exactly, but you get the picture)...I made the same mistake once only I called the LHBS and was in a bit of a panic mode (bc I didnt have any other yeast). Anyhow - it looks like now you have a reason to brew again super soon.

 

[messler]

I've used packs like this before, but only a couple of days after it inflated. I just make sure my wort is really well oxygenated before I toss it and I expect it to take a little while to start. Also make sure you let it get to room temperature before you pitch.

 

[qvantamon]

FYI - it says on those packs that it doesnt necessarily have to swell at all for the yeast to be awake and ready to go to work (well, not like that exactly, but you get the picture)...I made the same mistake once only I called the LHBS and was in a bit of a panic mode (bc I didnt have any other yeast). Anyhow - it looks like now you have a reason to brew again super soon.

Yup, the thing is this was a 6+ month old pack, which had been recently put in the kegerator before I got the temp control story straight, so this pack has been to subfreeze temps and back again. I wasn't sure it was alive at all.

Anyway, I went to the lhbs yesterday and got some grain and hops... The good thing about Coopers working like it's on speed is that today (4 days after) I hit my FG already, and was able to secondary that batch, and free up my primary. Now let's see if I can get a decent all-grain brew on my second try.

 

[Hopheader]

My experience has been, the older the pack the longer it takes to swell. It could depend on the yeast strain as well as (I believe) not all yeasts work the same---especially lager yeasts.

My last 6+ month old pack was a lager yeast, swelled the pack maybe a couple inches within 24 hours. Flat. Used it anyway, no activity / very slow. Panicked 4 days later and bought a month old pack of same yeast strain and in 4 hours it was looking like it ate 5 Happy Meals in a row.