Smack Pack Question

[ricardo]

Making a big Imperial Stout on Friday at OG 1.094 and thought I'd make up a starter from 2 x Wyeast 1028 (super fresh March 24th). Before I went to work this morning I gave them a smack and left them till I got home. When I did one had inflated like a balloon whilst the other was only about half the size, I made the starter, pitched and noticed that one half of the nutrients hadn't opened up. Is this going to cause any issues, starter was 1.7 litres as per Mr Malty?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

No

 

[ricardo]

No

that's what I like to hear, a nice simple answer

 

[O-beer-wan-kenobi]

Think I just had the same problem. Tried to "smack" the smack pack and didn't get the big "pop" that I normally get. Wasn't sure if I popped it or not and couldn't find the nutrient bulge through the package to give it another go so assumed it worked.

The pack didn't really swell up after 24hrs so I pitched it anyway. After I pitched I opened up the pack and saw two chambers for the nutrients, one had popped and the other was intact but seemed a small amount of nutrients in there. I wondered if this was a manufacturing issue by having 2 chambers to pop??? Hopefully she will be allright

 

[JDW81]

Think I just had the same problem. Tried to "smack" the smack pack and didn't get the big "pop" that I normally get. Wasn't sure if I popped it or not and couldn't find the nutrient bulge through the package to give it another go so assumed it worked.

The pack didn't really swell up after 24hrs so I pitched it anyway. After I pitched I opened up the pack and saw two chambers for the nutrients, one had popped and the other was intact but seemed a small amount of nutrients in there. I wondered if this was a manufacturing issue by having 2 chambers to pop??? Hopefully she will be allright

Did you pitch into a starter or a straight into the wort?

 

[O-beer-wan-kenobi]

It went into a starter. That was last night and there was no Krausen this morning when I went to work.
I will fish the pack out of the bin and post a pic of the pouch that was in the pack when I get home

 

[JDW81]

It went into a starter. That was last night and there was no Krausen this morning when I went to work.
I will fish the pack out of the bin and post a pic of the pouch that was in the pack when I get home

I wouldn't worry about no krausen on your starter. They often don't throw a krausen, and it doesn't matter one iota if you don't smack before pitching into a starter.

If viability was down a fraction it might just take a day or so extra to ferment out.

JD

 

[O-beer-wan-kenobi]

This is the pouch from the smack pack. Doesn't look right to me with two chambers? But the starter turned out fine in the end.

 

[warra48]

Stop worrying about the nutrient pouch. Wyeast works fine without it.

The vials from White Labs come without nutrient pouches, and they also work fine.

 

[yum beer]

This is the pouch from the smack pack. Doesn't look right to me with two chambers? But the starter turned out fine in the end.

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1398032751.589104.jpg

Clearly a process error, looks like 2 packs did not separate before going into packs.