Quick! So I forgot to punch my yeast packages...

[BeerGrrrl]

...and allow them to swell 3 hours before hand. Wort is cooling now. Is it okay to let it hang out in the carboy for an hour or two before adding the yeast? Or is this going to mess everything up?

 

[beninan]

You don't have to activate them. You can pitch the yeast without it. I would probably activate it now and wait maybe 1/2 hour, then pitch. The "activator" is just a yeast nutrient.
As for letting the beer sit, it will be fine.

 

[Revvy]

From the horse's mouth.

From the Wyeast FAQ website:

3. Does the package need to be fully swollen before pitching?

No, The package can be pitched before activating, or at anytime during the activation process. The activation process "jump starts" the culture's metabolism, minimizing the lag phase.

You don't even really have to smack if you don't want to if you are making a starter, but you definitely don't need to wait for it to inflate. Since you didn't make a starter, you will probably have a longer lag, regardless of whether or not the packet expanded.

 

[terrapinj]

just make sure its close to the same temp as the wort before you pitch

 

[jfrank85]

I had this issue once, i just pitched the yeast and then added the nutrients to the wort. Worked fine, no off tastes and quick responding yeast.