Recent content by SFbrewdoc

subscribed, interested to hear how it turns out!

The same thing happened to me one time. I think it just got warm during shipping, as the ice pack was room temperature when it arrived. The activator pack was not broken. I made a starter and the yeast did fine.

+1 except I use wax paper

Well, if there were ice crystals then there is a chance you lysed some of the yeast. It's really impossible to tell how much the yield was decreased by the freeze/thaw, but is is promising that the package expanded when warmed. My advice would be to use another package of yeast if you can...

One thing to take away from this discussion... If there is no consensus, it probably doesn't matter. :) I agree with the arguments above for both methods. I've done both, but mostly only use a secondary when dry hopping. My only reasoning for this is that I think it is possible that you might...

I'm a big advocate to making a starter anyway, especially when using liquid yeast. If you make a starter, there just isn't the uncertainty that you have when using liquid yeast from the package, even if you use a smack pack. Also, when I started using starters for my batches I think it was...

I agree with not having to boil top-off water. Keep in mind that all of the equipment, including the fermenter itself, has been "sanitized" and not "sterilized." The goal is simply to minimize any bacterial or wild yeast present and give the yeast you pitch in the wort free reign to do its thing...