Smak pack

[Bobb25]

So I smacked my first pack this morning.....Wyeast 2112, I could not really feel the internal packet through the thick foil, to be able to be able to move it to a corner and crush the way the pack described. But I smacked it around anyway.
I am planning on leaving it on the kitchen counter till tomorrow morning and then using it in a yeast starter in my new flask and stir plate. What should I expect if the pack is not smacked?? Will it still be usable in the starter or will I have to resort to my back-up dry yeast? This will be for my first California Steam Beer on Thursday brew day.

 

[peterj]

I think all of these instructions should be on the packet but if not here they are again: https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_productdetail.cfm?ProductID=16.

You should only leave it to swell for about 3 hours, I definitely wouldn't leave it unrefrigerated in the packet for a whole day. It would probably still be fine, but it's not ideal or necessary at all. You just have to feel around a little for the inner pouch and you should be able to find it. Unless it's somehow already been busted. Either way, it's not really necessary to use the smack pack thing, especially if you're making a starter. So I wouldn't worry too much about it. I would just put it back in the fridge until a few hours before you are going to pitch to your starter and maybe look around a little harder for the inner pouch. It takes some effort to actually bust it open.

 

[Kingbogart]

I have had trouble finding it a couple of times. It's basically just a thin little plastic bag in there. I can generally hear it crinkle when I do finally get a hold of it. It the pack is anything but flat, it can be hard to squish it sufficiently.

The pack basically contains just a little bit of nutrient and sugars to get the yeast started, if that doesn't get broken there's usually not a huge concern, especially if you're doing a starter anyways.

 

[user 141939]

I always have trouble finding/busting that thing. I get it in the end, just take patience and about ten minutes. I use both thumbs to try to feel for it and then move it to the corner.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[CraptainWirtz]

There's an old Brewing TV episode with John Palmer showing his strategy for breaking the nutrient pack...he just lays the pack on the counter and presses down on the nutrient pouch. I tried it after seeing the video and it's A TON easier than smacking or squeezing the pouch.

 

[Bobb25]

Well I prepared a 1 liter starter with light DME, boiled it for 10 minutes and cooled it. When I cut the Wyeast pack, I was not surprised to find that the nutrient pouch had not been broken. I pitched it into the starter, added some yeast nutrients, and have it sitting on the stir plate. We shall see!
Captian, I searched for that instructional video and could not find it. I guess until someone hands on demonstrates to me how to properly smack the pack, I will avoid Wyeast.
Bob

 

[peterj]

I don't think there's any reason to avoid Wyeast. Even if you don't break open the inner pack you're still getting the same product as any other liquid yeast (White Labs, etc.). The smack pack is just an added feature that Wyeast does to help get the yeast started a little bit before you pitch them.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4-Lp3Kw2gE[/ame]
Here's a video of somebody from Wyeast demonstrating it. It's really not hard at all, and it doesn't matter if you smack it with your hands or on a table or if you just press on it, just as long as the nutrient pouch breaks open. If you comb your fingers across it like he does, you're bound to find it.

 

[BigFloyd]

Here's a video of somebody from Wyeast demonstrating it. It's really not hard at all, and it doesn't matter if you smack it with your hands or on a table or if you just press on it, just as long as the nutrient pouch breaks open. If you comb your fingers across it like he does, you're bound to find it.

I believe that's Greg Doss in the video.

 

[CraptainWirtz]

Go to 15:50 in this video:

http://brewingtv.com/episodes/2012/10/3/brewing-tv-episode-69-palmers-oaked-mild.html

Although it's not as useful as I remembered it. John is sort of miming/demonstrating how he broke the pouch earlier in the brew session. But still, I can smack and smack and smack those packs and never break the pouch, but leaning all my weight on it on the counter works for me like a charm.