Partially inflated Wyeast smack pack.

[petree3]

I got my first all-grain kit in the mail from NB on tuesday and I'm brewing on Saturday. When I opened the envelope with the yeast in it it was already partially inflated. I had thought that the smack pack had been broken in shipping but when I went to make my starter last night I noticed the smack pack was still intact. I cut it open and added it to the starter. Now the starter seems to barely be working. I'm kind of at the point between going with it anyway or heading down to the LHBS and grabbing a new vial.

 

[dawgmatic]

It has been very hot lately so some of your yeasts may have died in transit to your home. You said its barely active so that means that all of them haven't died yet. I would either delay brewing to step up the starter or go get another fresh pack from your lhbs to pitch with the other one

On a side note, did you sanitize the scissors and the nutrient pouch before you cut it open? Sanitation is very important when handling the yeast. In the event that you did not, you might want to consider adding the older starter to the end of the boil, as nutrient for fresh yeast. I'm not saying that you have to... I just like to bet on the safe side

Congrats on making the switch to AG

 

[petree3]

Thanks dude, It's been 8 house since I pitched and the airlock is showing vigorous activity do I think we're in the clear. I think next time I will order from a closer store when heat waves hit!

 

[Cellarbrau]

Is it 1056? It's normal.

 

[koch711]

Yep, seems to be normal for 1056.

 

[plainbrad]

Also consider, that it doesn't take much of some sort of sugar to get in one of those packs during manufacturing to make produce enough gas to partially inflate a wyeast package. Anything on the outside of a the nutrient pack could cause this.

My LHBS tends to put these partially inflated packs with their half-price expired yeast. I always jump on these as the yeast is probably perfectly fine.

I am not afraid of a partially inflated wyeast package and don't think anyone should be. If you have still have trouble trusting a partially inflated pack, make a starter with the yeast and nutrient.