Wyeast Problems

[mahonya1]

For my last 4 batches I have switched to using liquid Wyeast and have had varied results. 2 have worked and 2 have not. I follow the instructions correctly - warm the yeast to room temperature and burst the nutrients pack for a few hours before pitching. The bag swells and then I pitch when the wort temp is around 23 degrees. The last one I have done was using Wyeast British Ale Malt II (1335). I pitched this 48 hours ago and there is still no activity. After 30 hours or so, I re-opened the fermenter and gave it another mix to ensure it was well aerated. The wort is pretty constant hovering around 21 degrees. I am going to have to pitch some crappy brewers yeast that I have lying around.

I brewed with a friend and he used the same yeast (from different a pack) and he has no activity either.

Does anyone else experience problems with these liquid yeasts? Is there something I am doing wrong, or does it sound like a dodgy batch?

Cheers.

 

[fraser_john]

When using Wyeast (not often any more I must admit) I usually burst the nutrient pack 24 hours in advance to ensure it is very active. A couple of hours before pitching is not very long. It may be just having a long lag time.....

 

[mahonya1]

When using Wyeast (not often any more I must admit) I usually burst the nutrient pack 24 hours in advance to ensure it is very active. A couple of hours before pitching is not very long. It may be just having a long lag time.....

I smacked the pack a good 5 hours before pitching...... do you think I should wait longer before deciding to pitch more yeast? The 2 times that I have used the yeast successfully, the yeast has become active in a couple of hours. This has been 2 days without any activity.

 

[bigfridge]

I smacked the pack a good 5 hours before pitching...... do you think I should wait longer before deciding to pitch more yeast? The 2 times that I have used the yeast successfully, the yeast has become active in a couple of hours. This has been 2 days without any activity.

Hi,

How old was the pack ie what was the date of manufacture ?

 

[mahonya1]

Hi,

How old was the pack ie what was the date of manufacture ?

I must admit, I did not check and I have thrown the pack out. I bought it the day I used it on Saturday.

 

[Batz]

I would have left the pack overnight at least. I still believe that your yeast will take off, give it another 24 hours.

Batz

 

[Screwtop]

For my last 4 batches I have switched to using liquid Wyeast and have had varied results. 2 have worked and 2 have not. I follow the instructions correctly - warm the yeast to room temperature and burst the nutrients pack for a few hours before pitching. The bag swells and then I pitch when the wort temp is around 23 degrees. The last one I have done was using Wyeast British Ale Malt II (1335). I pitched this 48 hours ago and there is still no activity. After 30 hours or so, I re-opened the fermenter and gave it another mix to ensure it was well aerated. The wort is pretty constant hovering around 21 degrees. I am going to have to pitch some crappy brewers yeast that I have lying around.

I brewed with a friend and he used the same yeast (from different a pack) and he has no activity either.

Does anyone else experience problems with these liquid yeasts? Is there something I am doing wrong, or does it sound like a dodgy batch?

Cheers.

Gravity of the wort? and amount pitched (assume it's one smack pack from above) Had the smack pack swelled (was the yeast working)?

Screwy

 

[ramu_gupta]

I had issues with a Wyeast Munich Lager pack last weekend. First time I tried using these liquids. Followed instructions carefully and also left it overnight to swell - no action at all 20 hrs later. Had to revert to a dry yeast. (which started fermenting quickly and is still going strong..)

Hesitant to try another one....

 

[j1gsaw]

make a starter in the future mate, saves lag time.

 

[ramu_gupta]

make a starter in the future mate, saves lag time.

Yeah tried that too.
Even though there was no swelling of the pack, tried to make a starter and had no luck with that at all.

 

[Bribie G]

I've been using WYeasts for nearly 2 years and I also have had hit and miss experiences. I think it's to do with the age of the packs. There's some rule that after smacking the pack you wait five hours for every month since the pack was made (I think that's the one, someone may be able to confirm that?) I've never actually had one fail on me but it can be frustrating to spend ten bucks and still no krausen after two days. I now do starters every time with these suckers, in a one litre sterilized Schott bottle plus some LDME and dex.

The idea of the smack pack and nutrient widget is to 'prove' the yeast then pitch it (or preferably tip into a starter), in much the same way as you can rehydrate dried yeast in warm water and, if it starts creaming and frothing then it's a live one. The term 'prove' is an old one from bread making as well, when the yeast sprang to life it was common to chant "God is Good!", so obviously people have been anxious about their yeasts for centuries :lol:

 

[Stuster]

How old was the pack? After how long did you make the starter? How big was the starter? How long did you leave it? What temp was it at? Was there no action at all? Did you take a gravity reading on the starter to check it wasn't done? Did it develop an off-flavour?

To the OP, I would definitely do a starter to make sure you have some yeast which are raring to go. Starting it a few days before is probably better. Leave it until it's puffing up so you know there's some sign of life (can be a few days for an older pack). Then a starter - I mostly do a 2L starter for an ale, you'd want to do a bigger one for a lager. Let it go for a couple of days by which time it should be settling out. Into the fridge the night before the brew day. Then on the day you are brewing you make up a smaller starter (say 0.5-1L), the yeast should have settled out so you can tip off the beer on top and get it really going with the new starter wort. Then pitch into well-aerated wort. Noticeable activity in 6-12 hours should result.

 

[ramu_gupta]

Thanks for all the info.

Bribie, yeah it is disheartening. Looking to go that one step further in my brewing using a greater variety of yeasts by using the liquids. Will try again after the next brew.

Stuster, I was actually trying to follow the process similar to the one you outlined but it didn't go to plan. The pack was a couple of months old. Made a 2 litre starter, 1040, nutrients, stir plate at room temp about 20 hours after the pack didn't swell. Left it overnight. No off flavours that I could detect and no action at all.

 

[BoilerBoy]

Yeah tried that too.
Even though there was no swelling of the pack, tried to make a starter and had no luck with that at all.

When you say you had no luck with the starter what did you do?

Cheers,
BB

 

[Stuster]

That is strange. I would have left it longer to puff up in the smack pack and longer on the stir plate but what you did sounds fine other than that. I'm surprised a 2 month old pack didn't at least start to swell up in 20 hours to be honest.

 

[mahonya1]

Gravity of the wort? and amount pitched (assume it's one smack pack from above) Had the smack pack swelled (was the yeast working)?

Screwy

My hyrdometer broke a couple of weeks back, and haven't gotten around to replacing it so no gravity reading. The wort is very sweet to the taste, so I know there's plenty of sugars in there. i did pitch 1 pack, and it did swell nicely. Just no action once it went into the well aerated wort, which is at a stable 22 degrees and sealed tight in the fermentor. Is it possible contamination could inhibit the yeast?? How long should I wait until I pitch more yeast?

 

[Ross]

NEVER pitch a Wyeast smack pack before it has swollen.
The whole idea behind the smack pack is that you have you your yeast in a sterile enviroment & you can check its viabillity before pitching, whether into a starter or direct into the wort. If it has not swollen, there is nothing happening, so there is no point in pitching & leaving yourself further in the dark. Leave your self plenty of time to get the pack ready, if it fires straight away, simply put back in the fridge until you are ready. If the pack doesn't swell & it's "in date", return to your supplier for a replacement.

Cheers Ross

 

[MHB]

I am agreeing with Ross 100% on this one.

I think all the reputable retailers will replace a Wyeast that hasn't fired (rare as that is) if the packet is unopened, yeast with a bit of age will take several days to swell, but I have had year old stock that I wrote off, smacked it to see what would happen and they all came up after a couple of weeks.

Always look at the date and if the yeast is more than a month old, for best results plan ahead.

MHB

 

[ramu_gupta]

If the pack doesn't swell & it's "in date", return to your supplier for a replacement.

Cheers Ross

Thanks for the heads up.. will do if it happens again.

 

[Eater]

Just as a side note to this

You mention smacking the pack and leaving at room temp, would it not be better to have at the same temp as fermentation, thus promoting the best yeast growth (for me this is achieved by leaving the smack pack in the same temp controlled fridge as primary fermentation is about to take place in) or am i just being a bit tooooooo picky and anal about yeast temps?
(FYI i am in Darwin, average "room temp" at the Barking Log Brewery location was 27 degress on the day)