Starting Wyeast

[bum]

Why wouldn't you smack?

When he's talking about splitting? Why would he need to smack?

 

[JDW81]

Would you spilt a smack pack into four if you are doing 17l stovetop batches? 3 specimen jars with in the fridge and then 1 into a 500ml 50g LDME starter for the upcoming brew.....? Or split into 5?

I smack, split into 3 and then make a starter from one pack. Works a treat every time.

 

[Spiesy]

When he's talking about splitting? Why would he need to smack?

Only quoting others more knowledgable than myself, i.e. Jamil's "Yeast" book, but he advocates smacking to rinse the yeast from the pack and give the yeasties a bit of a rev up.

No need to smack. But no reason not to, is how I read that.

 

[einnebcj]

Hence my wondering over smacking. Seems to be a divisive topic. Popular opinion from posts I've read from 09-11 seems to be pro smack and then over the last couple of years, no-smack seems to have come into play and gained popularity.

Smacked if I know!

 

[jaypes]

I split the pack, then add the smack pack contents to my LDME wort and boil

Always works for me

 

[bum]

Only quoting others more knowledgable than myself, i.e. Jamil's "Yeast" book, but he advocates smacking to rinse the yeast from the pack and give the yeasties a bit of a rev up.

No need to smack. But no reason not to, is how I read that.

I haven't read the book but I can't imagine why he'd advocate giving the yeast a rev up to put them in a jar and put them to sleep in the fridge.

 

[2much2spend]

I split the pack, then add the smack pack contents to my LDME wort and boil

Always works for me


WTF!

 

[TSMill]

I'd guess in that context smack pack = nutrient pouch.

 

[shaunous]

As per reply to your other thread, you really need to try and sterilize them.An autoclave (pressure cooker) works best, otherwise try the Tindalization procedure.

Would like to know if people have had infections from just boiling the vials in a standard pot at an unpressurized 100*c for 15mins which is what I was planning to do.

As long as they are autoclavable vials and you don't end up with a balls of goop in your pot . In my case they are the bulk buy test tube looking vials which are autoclaveable.

 

[NewtownClown]

WTF!

adds the nutrient pouch, not the yeast

 

[Ciderman]

I'm thinking about brewing a porter in the recipe section that calls for 4000ml of Wyeast. Do I need to make a yeast starter?

 

[MartinOC]

4 LITRES(!?!?!?) of yeast???

'Sure that wasn't a fat-finger typing error?

 

[Eagleburger]

only 32 smack packs!

 

[manticle]

4litre starter not 4 litres of yeast
What volume and gravity is the recipe?

 

[Ciderman]

4litre starter not 4 litres of yeast
What volume and gravity is the recipe?

It's this recipe here... http://aussiehomebrewer.com/recipe/1414-rye-robust-porter/

 

[manticle]

So double batch at 1.073 - hence the requirement for a 4 litre starter. That is not 4 litres of pure yeast.

Are you making the same batch size?

 

[Ciderman]

So double batch at 1.073 - hence the requirement for a 4 litre starter. That is not 4 litres of pure yeast.

Are you making the same batch size?

Yeah I knew it wasn't pure yeast. No, I'll do a half batch so I'll need 2000ml. Forgive my ignorance, but a starter is mixing DME, water and yeast?

 

[manticle]

Pretty much. Plenty of guides on how to but look at 100g dme: 1L water.

 

[Ciderman]

Pretty much. Plenty of guides on how to but look at 100g dme: 1L water.

Thanks for your help. I'll see what I can find on it. How long in advance do you need to make it? Was hoping to brew Saturday but I fear I may have left it too late.

 

[manticle]

Depends on a few factors - freshness of yeast, stirplate/no stirplate, chill/no chill.