Suspect Wyeast

[Goat]

I bought a cheaper Wyeast (2308) a month or so ago which was dated 05April05. The pack is now slightly swollen but the yeast sachet inside is still intact - though it is swollen also.

I'm concerned that there may be some nasties in the nutrient pack and if I use it I'll be asking for trouble. On the other hand; if some of the yeast has escaped the sachet and gone to work on the nutirent it could still be OK.

Has anyone had any experience with this sort of thing? Should I make up the starter a see how it tastes or should I just chuck it out and go for a new one?

 

[Malnourished]

I'm 99.9% sure the sachet contains the nutrients and the yeast is on the loose in the pack. So it's just the yeast slowly fermenting away - I've had quite a few swollen smack packs lately. One I couldn't "smack" properly because it was already so big. They've always fermented fine.

 

[Screwtop]

I'm 99.9% sure the sachet contains the nutrients and the yeast is on the loose in the pack. So it's just the yeast slowly fermenting away - I've had quite a few swollen smack packs lately. One I couldn't "smack" properly because it was already so big. They've always fermented fine.

[post="100277"][/post]​

Likewise.

It's the mean arse in me, just won't let me pay full price. I always buy them post use-by. Then split them 6 ways!

 

[Goat]

Thanks guys - I'll give it a go. If it tastes dodgey in the starter I can always dump it then I gues.

 

[Weizguy]

IIRC, the Wyeast website mentions about yeast being packaged before they are fully dormant. This is why the package swells, and can be used without popping the malt/nutrient "smacker" inside, if sufficiently active.
This applies more to fresh stock, and I'd pop the beastie inside if I were U, as it's not so fresh.

Pop it, then make a starter if still concerned.

As far as I can see, the only "trouble" you will find is the slow turnover time for well-made lagers, and the peculiarities of the Munich lager yeast. You might want to search the web for stories about this yeast.

I found this info :
This is the strain from Wissenschaftliche in Munich. It was one of the first pure strains to be made available to American homebrewers. Munich 2308 is a complex strain that finishes smooth, soft, well rounded, full-bodied and very malty. Can be unstable and is very finicky. Must be taken through a strict temperature regime or it will likely produce high levels of diacetyl (VERY UNDESIRABLE in lagers). See The Fermenter - Vol.1 No.2 or the special zymurgy yeast issue for details on the temperature requirements of this strain. This strain makes a fine Munchner Helles. Also recommended for dunkels, bocks and heavier German beers. Apparent attenuation: 73-77% Medium flocculation. (48-56F - optimum temperature=50F) (aka German Lager and Munich No. 308). :beer:

Seth

 

[Goat]

Thanks Weizguy.

I've used 2308 a fair bit and I really like it for its maltiness. I'm doing a Maerzen with it tomorrow or the next day depending on how the yeast wakes up. After that I'm going to try a really light larger with it - the idea being that I want that smoothness and malty flavours but in a very light, clean larger.

I usually let it ferment for about three weeks in the temp contolled freezer on the cool side of its range, then get a good D-rest and into the keg. I'm becoming less enthused about secondaries as time goes by - the advantages don't seem to be worth it as I usually condition int he keg for a month or so anyway.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Roy had a couple of batches of semi swollen Wyeast packs arrive direct from Wyeast. He asked them and they had a problem with residual sugar at the time of packaging causing some recent batches to swell in the pack. Its really annoying as its impossible to find the nutrient sachet. Wyeast had tested the yeast in those batches and confirmed there was nothing wrong with it.

 

[Screwtop]

Goat, did you use wort to make your starter. Have had more success with this recently. Instead of making the starter up with boiled DME, I bring a 500ml sub to room temp, take out 1.5L of hot wort and cool it in water in a sanitised bottle then add the sub. After chilling the beer wort I put it in the fermenter in the ferm fridge and usually by the time this has dropped to pitching temp the 2L starter is going strong at room temp. Attenuation has been better using this method as against same yeast and DME starter.

 

[Weizguy]

goat,

You're welcome for the info. By the sound of it, U know the yeast quite well.

I've only used the yeast once, after I got a freebie, which was out-of-date, from the lhbs. [Consults brewlog...] That was my first ag beer. An Oktoberfestbier in 2003. Gee, it's been so long, I need to use this yeast again soon. Still have reserved bottles of the beer as a yeast bank.

I'd say that maybe U should leave it to secondary in the kegs and cut out a transfer.

GL, I bought some Wyeast Saison a short while back and it was swollen after a few hours out of the lhbs fridge. There was just enough space in the bag to allow me to pop the inner splat bag. Was fully swelled later that evening. Have a few cultures of it now, waiting to be fed some Saison wort.

Seth out

 

[Ross]

I'm becoming less enthused about secondaries as time goes by - the advantages don't seem to be worth it as I usually condition int he keg for a month or so anyway.

[post="100294"][/post]​

Goat - I'm interested in your findings. i had a Schwarzbier that wouldn't drop below 1022, whatever I did. I lagered for 3 months & still tasted like a sweet stout. However, after 1 month kegged & carbonated, the sweetness dropped out & became IMO my best Schwarz yet... so beggining to doubt the benefits of lagering also...

Would be keen to hear other peoples experiences in this dept...

Edit: maybe a new thread needed to avoid a hijack...