Old Smackpack of 1275 (first experience with wyeast)

[permo]

My LHBS gave me a free pack of Thames Valley (1275) because it was nearly a year old. I am a whitelabs guy, so this was my first time with this whole "smacking deal"

So I read the directions and after taking out of the fridge and breaking the nutrient sack I let it sit for three hours and not much happened. Well nothign happened.

So then I made 32 ounces of 1.035 starter wort and pitched the whole works into that. I am hoping this all works out by Sunday for a bitter I planned once I got the yeast, but after 12 hours the starter is dead to the world.

I had my heart set on this Thames yeast, so I am really hoping it goes, but they have packs of London Ale II that are fresh I could use as a backup I suppose. Although I don't want to.

Does anybody have experience reviving these old smack packs?

 

[PantherCity]

At a year old I don't know how viable it is. Check Mrmalty.com and use the yeast pitching rate calculator. There is a field where you put the date of manufacture and it estimates the % of yeast that are still viable. You also don't know where it has been for the last year. It could have been lost in an un-air-conditioned warehouse for this whole time.

 

[phenry]

Being over a year old it's probably pretty low viability, and a 32 oz starter is probably a little bit larger than ideal for the amount of living cells to get started in. I'd give it another day or two before you decide it's kicked the bucket.

And I'd have that London Ale yeast on hand just in case things don't work out if I were you. I never count on yeast doing what I want it to, so I always have some dry yeast on hand just in case.

 

[zgoda]

I use such old smackpacks regularly. Healthy starter is key here - there's not enough live yeast cells in package after such long time.

And it helps if you wait few days for the package to fully swell, just to prove the viability.

 

[permo]

So it looks like i should just wait this one out and see what happens with it?

 

[permo]

After 36 hours my starter is ROCKIN! Time to go get some grains for a classic ESB

92% pale ale malt
8% caramunich

 

[solbes]

Great, give it another 12-24 hours at least to build up the reserves in those yeasties. Good luck!

 

[permo]

Great, give it another 12-24 hours at least to build up the reserves in those yeasties. Good luck!

Giving it another 72 hours before I pitch. I will likely step it up tomorow morning a bit.

ESB or Dark Mild.......so many decisions.