Smack pack looks like it's been smacked already

[skeletonkrew]

Just Got wyeast 1056 in the mail and it looks as though it's already been smacked. The inner pack still feels intact I wonder if this yeast is good. Anyone else had this trouble

 

[Ungoliant]

I literally had this problem when I brewed back on 1 June.

I really freaked out because I didn't want to put off brew day, so I got really serious about determining whether or not the slap pack had been opened or not, without having to open the package.

I held it at an angle (like, a diamond instead of a square), and used both hands to squeeze from the top corner to the bottom corner to isolate the slap pack, and it's still really hard to determine if it's in there.

So after isolating it, I put it about knee level, angled it back towards me a bit and slapped the crap out of where it was isolated and hoped for the best. After slapping it, if you try to isolate it again you can sort of feel the collapsed empty pack. In about an hourish you should see the package itself swelling.

Edit: on a side note, with the yeast activated in the pack, that thing will almost look like it's ready to explode and will be very tight once it's activated.

 

[WNCBrewman]

1056 is notorious for slight swelling before the smack. Most other strains do not have the same tendency. I've had several 1056 look just like that upon arrival. Refrigeration will not make it subside. RDWHAHB.

 

[skeletonkrew]

This is the third time i used 1056. none have been "inflated" like this before "slapping" . But the inner pak seems good,.. so we will see. Good to know that this is not unheard of.

 

[kh54s10]

You should be making a starter. Just cut the pack and pour the yeast into your starter, then as sanitize everything and add the nutrient. Most likely good to go. When making a starter there is really no need to smack the pack at all.

 

[grv]

Also may want to consider - I think US-05 is the same strain as 1056, but it's dry, easier to handle, and cheaper. I save my liquid yeast budget for weird strains. I got some Pac Man yeast like that from morebeer a while back. Didn't even try to smack it. I just sanitized it, opened and poured into a starter. The inner pack is just nutrients anyway.

Good luck!

 

[skeletonkrew]

Yeah that sounds like a good idea I hate to admit it though but I've never used a starter. I should probably start though. I don't usually keep any DME around. Do you think I could use that nutrient packed inside the Smack Pack to make a starter?

 

[skeletonkrew]

Or sugar or honey maybe blue agave I just don't have the DME laying around

 

[grv]

I'd be leery of using anything except DME and yeast nutrient for a starter. There won't be enough in the little inner sack in the smack pack, and those other sugars may not contain the necessary components to promote healthy cell growth on their own. Maybe someone else has direct experience with alternative starter ingredients. I've never tried it!

 

[Darwin18]

A smack pack is not a starter. All it does is proof the yeast.

 

[LesIsMore]

I just listened to an old interview with Dave Logsdon from Wyeast. He said that the packs are filled cold and sometimes with shipping, the warm temps will cause some release of CO2 and swelling in the smack packs. It's not an issue according to him.

 

[kh54s10]

A smack pack is not a starter. All it does is proof the yeast.

This ^^

The nutrient just energizes the yeast, a little co2 is produced thus swelling the pack. It is not enough, or the right stuff to promote cell production.

Be careful of the advise of "slapping the crap" out of it! There have been posts about burst packs doing this.

Wyeast advises that sometimes a pack will swell. It is usually not a problem.

When making starters and most of these "is it still good?" questions will be moot.

 

[skeletonkrew]

Thanks everyone. Your advice is well takin. Im sure the yeast will be fine.

 

[skeletonkrew]

Im planning on brewing a high gravity beer soon with white labs" best of both worlds" . Expected OG is 1.070. I was planning , or prepared to use 2 viles. Good idea? or should i just make a starter with one vile?

 

[LesIsMore]

It depends on the production date on the vials. If I have the option, I always like doing starters, so whether you use 1 or 2, it wouldn't be a bad idea to do one. They're just going to be different sizes. Check out a yeast calculator like mrmalty to see how big of a starter you would need.