Nasty Wyeast Smell

[Bribie G]

I've just opened a Wyeast 1056 American Ale and it smells like cheesy garbage. Normally the Wyeasts smell like your old mum's bakers yeast in the bowl before she poured it into the flour.
The widget hadn't been smacked as the pack was semi inflated when I got it. I've poured it into the LDME starter bottle, and see what it's like in the morning. Prolly have to use 1469 even though its an APA. However I've frozen the empty smack pack and let Ross have a sniff when I'm down there on Saturday for the grain pickup.

Has anyone else had a foul Wyeast? Maybe - as with all yeast managements systems - it's a one in a thousand thingo? Pack was definitely perfectly sealed, I've had it for about a month in the fridge.

Edit: as plan B I wonder how an APA would go with S-189 at 19 degrees for 10 days?

 

[Effect]

. Prolly have to use 1469 even though its an APA.

Edit: as plan B I wonder how an APA would go with S-189 at 19 degrees for 10 days?

I would prefer the lager yeast (but at lager temps) than 1469 at 19 degrees...you don't have a fermentation fridge?

 

[goomboogo]

I've never had an off smack pack but I have used 1469 in an APA. It worked a treat. That's not to say your other suggestion won't produce a good APA as well.

 

[Ross]

Bribie,

The slight swelling is quite normal as sometimes there is still a small amount of growth media left that the yeast will continue to feed on.
I'm guessing the aroma is the trapped gasses off this small expansion, I wouldn't be stressed by it at all.


cheers Ross

 

[vykuza]

Edit: as plan B I wonder how an APA would go with S-189 at 19 degrees for 10 days?

I just poured out a keg of beer after doing this. S-189, warm temps, APA. Underpitched, too! The bite from a lager yeast and a big bitterness from the APA wasn't that pleasant.

I'd go the Yorkie yeast.

 

[Bribie G]

Bribie,

The slight swelling is quite normal as sometimes there is still a small amount of growth media left that the yeast will continue to feed on.
I'm guessing the aroma is the trapped gasses off this small expansion, I wouldn't be stressed by it at all.


cheers Ross

Thanks for the comments guys, Ross is saying that the baby yeast might have crapped its nappy hence the smell - I'll check the starter in the morning

 

[cdbrown]

I've had a dodgy wyeast pack. Had a double batch of weizen I was going to ferment, splitting a starter I'd made. It smelt pretty awful when I opened it, but so had other packs. Once the starter had really kicked off the smell hadn't improved and it tasted like baby sick. Used it on one batch and just used dry yeast on the other. Only ended up with one keg due to some infection in the packet. Not really had much luck with the smack packs so I stick with dry yeast now.

 

[yardy]

I've had a dodgy wyeast pack. Had a double batch of weizen I was going to ferment, splitting a starter I'd made. It smelt pretty awful when I opened it, but so had other packs. Once the starter had really kicked off the smell hadn't improved and it tasted like baby sick. Used it on one batch and just used dry yeast on the other. Only ended up with one keg due to some infection in the packet. Not really had much luck with the smack packs so I stick with dry yeast now.

gday cd,

i'm a novice with liquids but the ones i have done have turned out well, i've never made a starter, i just went with a 'small' beer in the 1.030s.

got to admit 95% of my beers are dry yeast derived, love the K-97 in an Alt B)

Dave