Smack pack for first time brewer

[redneckbeagle]

I am getting ready for my first brew EVER using extract and a yeast smack pack. Here is what I am planning, a friend tells me 24 hrs or so before the brew I need to smack it let it expand for 2 or 3 hours. Boil 2 cups of water and add about 1/3 cup DME and add that to a sterilized container (1/2 gal glass jar) and pitch the yeast to that and place a airlock on it and put it in a cool, dry place.

Am I missing anything, is this ok to do, or would you recommend some other method?

Thanks in advance,

redneckbeagle

 

[hopshead]

Your friend is explaining how to make a starter to grow more yeast cells. Check out this link for a starter primer:
http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.htm

 

[TheJadedDog]

Take a look at www.howtobrew.com for detailed instructions on making a starter. Your plan sounds like it will work just fine though.

 

[jvh261]

You don't really have to do a starter with a smack pack as there is already yeast nutrient in the pack. Doing so certainly won't hurt anything though.

I've used smack packs almost exclusively since my first few batches and just took the pack out of the fridge the morning I'm going to brew, smacked it, shake it up a little, let it sit and expand for 4-5 hours or so, brew, cool your wort, aeriate your wort and pitch. I've never bothered to make a starter when using a smackpack and my beers have come out great. You should be just fine.

I brewed my latest batch, an IPA with extract and steeping grains, on last saturday this way and I had airlock activity within 12-16 hours and had a really nice even fermentation that has finally seemed to stop 7 days later.

Most importantly... Congrats on your soon to be first brew. You'll be plotting your second by the time you're done brewing your first.

 

[malkore]

not making a starter will increase lag time. there are enough yeast cells, but not an optimal amount....the starter helps fix this.

 

[Brewno]

I use smack packs and just let them sit for a few hours, pitched and have had lag times of 6-10 hours averaging around 7

 

[Donasay]

Just remember they are called smack packs for a reason, make sure you smack them hard to bust open the inner packet rather than just squeezing the inner packet. If you don't bust that thing wide open you wont get a proper mixture of yeast and starter, it shouldn't hurt to much in the long run, but the pack won't swell as quickly as it would if you smack it correctly.

 

[newguy]

I belive if you go to the wyesat website they have a video on how to smack it! LOL

 

[Donasay]

I belive if you go to the wyesat website they have a video on how to smack it! LOL

Thats what she said!

Sorry if this is a little

 

[HarvInSTL]

I use smack packs and just let them sit for a few hours, pitched and have had lag times of 6-10 hours averaging around 7

And if you used starters you would notice that your lag times drop to 2-3 hours.

 

[DaleJ]

4 or 5 hours rest, eh?

Hmmm, my pack said 2-3 days, and if by 7 it has risen...

So I smacked it on Wednesday evening and brewed Saturday afternoon. 60+ hours laster.

Maybe that's why my batch is being so obstinate about getting the show going.