Newbi mistake & question

[PapaDon]

I used a Wyeast smack-pack for the first time Tuesday and apparently I didn't "smack" it hard enough because when I opened the package to pitch the inner packet was still intact. I cut open the inner pack poured it into the yeast, shook it and pitched. So here's the question, is it going to work?It's been 36 hours and nothing so far but for some reason my co2 doesn't seem to start for 48 to 60 hours. Question 2, should I add another packet? Thanks guys

 

[Spikybits]

So bubbles in the airlock is not the greatest of indicators. can you see into the fermenter without opening it? looking for krausen or even better take a gravity sample. Sometimes those yeasties do a ninja fermentation and its not apparent till you shoot the gravity.

1) yes you should be OK
2) if you have no activity after 48 or 72 hours, and have validated the gravity has not changed from your OG, you can: A) add another packet or B) make a starter and add that. either or, extra yeast will not have a negative effect.

 

[PapaDon]

Ok, thanks. Like I said my previous 2 brews took 50-60 hrs for co2 development, not going to get excited until tomorrow.

 

[Spikybits]

good plan - sometimes increasing the temp to start fermentation may help as well.

 

[RM-MN]

It's been 36 hours and nothing so far but for some reason my co2 doesn't seem to start for 48 to 60 hours.

It's likely that your fermenter has a tiny leak. It may be sufficient to allow some CO2 out but when the activity really gets going, say about 48 to 60 hours in, the amount of CO2 overwhelms the leak and make the airlock bubble. Krausen formation is a better method of determining if you have fermentation started.

 

[McKnuckle]

Busting the smack pack is not required. It's basically a pre-pitch viability check that allows you to judge if the yeast are okay before opening the outer foil pouch.

The inner packet contains yeast nutrient. Since there is minimal airspace in the foil pouch, it will swell rather quickly as soon as the yeast begin to metabolize the nutrient. This gives you an indication that the yeast are viable. The nutrient itself is not responsible for making the yeast work.

Note that other yeast manufacturers, notably White Labs, do not include this feature and they work fine.

 

[PapaDon]

Thanks to all replied to my question, you guys are great. These little "beastie" yeasties are amazing, last night at midnight there was some co2 coming but NO Krausen, at 7:30 this morning there was co2 coming out and about an inch of Krausen on top of the wort. Amazing little creatures!

I still have some confusion though. I'm a black and white, A+B kinda guy so I don't understand how I shouldn't open the fermenter because we don't want air to get in and yet I'm supposed to take gravity readings. Unless there's a trick I'm not aware of, I can't get the wort out without opening the lid or removing the air dam. Is there some super duper piece of equipment that I should be getting?

 

[LittleRiver]

...I don't understand how I shouldn't open the fermenter because we don't want air to get in and yet I'm supposed to take gravity readings....Is there some super duper piece of equipment that I should be getting?

Some fermenters have sampling ports or drain valves from which you can pull a sample without opening the fermenter. If you are using a bucket or other plastic fermenter (BetterBottle, Big Mouth Bubbler, etc.) you can add a drain valve to them.

But when you drain out liquid, air gets pulled in unless you have set up something so that C02 gets pulled in instead. But that's probably a little more advanced that you need to worry about right now. If you are bottling, or kegging without doing closed transfers, your beer is going to get exposed to air anyway. Don't worry about it for now.

One simple solution is to give the yeast more than enough time to finish their work before you take a single final gravity reading, at the time you package (bottle or keg). That's my standard operating procedure.

 

[ncbrewer]

One simple solution is to give the yeast more than enough time to finish their work before you take a single final gravity reading, at the time you package (bottle or keg). That's my standard operating procedure.

My method is close to this. I minimize opening the fermenter, but because I bottle, I do open it two days before bottling day to get a sample. (I feel that two days is long enough because I use a bottling hydrometer - very accurate.) Then again on bottling day - to make sure gravity is stable. If it has dropped, wait a few more days and check again. Bottle when gravity is stable and at a reasonable level. If you bottle before fermentation is finished, it will finish in the bottles and could result in bottle bombs. Normally two weeks will be long enough, but I recently had a batch with very slow fermentation (29 days). That was the only time, but I'm glad I took multiple samples.

I also drink one batch at a time, with very little waiting time (2 - 3 weeks for bottle conditioning) to minimize oxidation affects, especially with hoppy beers. This might be unnecessary, but I feel better about it.