Smack packs and starters

[DVCNick]

So I haven't used very many of the Wyeast "smack packs" but I did a starer last night with 3944 Belgian Ale. So far it doesn't appear to be doing much, if anything.

Then I remembered that I recently ruined a batch of beer by severely over-adding yeast nutrient(oops).

So I know these smack packs are allegedly supposed to be enough for 5 gallons... what exactly is in the bubble that you break? Is it enough yeast nutrient for 5 gallons?
If so, did I just ruin my starter?
I didn't even think about it till just now, but I did break the bubble and it went in the starter too.

 

[MMP126]

I dont think you ruined anything. Depending on the beer your brewing, the smack pack would be fine to properly ferment your beer. I do this from time to time, but I typically make a starter.

That said, a starter never hurts really. How big of a starter did you make?

 

[DVCNick]

It's about 1.5L.

 

[MMP126]

Did you add anything else to the starter (like more yeast nutrient).

Barring that, you will be fine. Let the starter finish, decant or just pitch the whole thing.

 

[DVCNick]

Nothing else is in it except water and DME.
I'll just let it ride then... I guess if this was a major problem it would be well known.

The yeast pack was hot when it got to me, so maybe it was almost dead.

 

[MMP126]

Eh, the heat may have been an issue, but it should be fine. Yeah, let it ride and pitch it! Should be fine.

 

[VikeMan]

what exactly is in the bubble that you break?

Exactly what's in there, nobody knows (except Wyeast). But it does contain some sugar, which is why the pack swells after smacking.

Is it enough yeast nutrient for 5 gallons?

Depends on whether you believe that any additional nutrient is needed or helpful for all grain worts. Personally, I add Wyeast Beer Nutrient Blend at the recommended dosage to most of my worts, and I believe it is helpful. And even though we don't know exactly what's in a smack pack bubble, I can say pretty confidently that whatever nutrients (other than sugar) that are in it are a lot less nutrients than what's in the Nutrient Blend.

If so, did I just ruin my starter?
I didn't even think about it till just now, but I did break the bubble and it went in the starter too.

I'm not sure why you think breaking the bubble would hurt the starter, but it won't. And "stacking" the nutrients in the bubble with additional nutrients added to the beer wort (at recommended dosage) is also not a problem.

 

[IslandLizard]

So I haven't used very many of the Wyeast "smack packs" but I did a starer last night with 3944 Belgian Ale. So far it doesn't appear to be doing much, if anything.

How big is that starter?
Is it on a stir plate?
Is it medium to dark brown right now?

The heat surely doesn't help the yeast. Was it in a hot delivery truck then in your mailbox for half a day?
Give it a day or 2 it should become lighter in color, and milky over time.
I've had starters from "fresh packs" that took a week to get to that point.

 

[DVCNick]

It eventually got going and is fermenting the crap out of a beer right now.
I just never saw an entire new pack of yeast take that long to get a little 1.5L starter going.
My thinking on why the "bubble" could have ruined it is that I have recent experience with way too much yeast nutrient ruining a beer (stopping fermentation way early among other things) so if it was enough nutrient for 5 gal, I might have been screwed.
But if it is mostly sugar, then no worries; it seems to be going fine now.

 

[DVCNick]

How big is that starter?
Is it on a stir plate?
Is it medium to dark brown right now?

The heat surely doesn't help the yeast. Was it in a hot delivery truck then in your mailbox for half a day?
Give it a day or 2 it should become lighter in color, and milky over time.
I've had starters from "fresh packs" that took a week to get to that point.

Wow... got to say I would have given up before then.

It wasn't on my porch long, but was in the back of hot trucks for possibly several days.

 

[Kickass]

I have recent experience with way too much yeast nutrient ruining a beer (stopping fermentation way early among other things)

How much did you add and what was your batch size?

Also, has anyone else experienced this? I’ve not heard of nutes ruining a beer.

 

[DVCNick]

6 tsp into a 10 gallon batch if memory serves.... I actually thought it was half the recommended dose at the time, but was operating off of wine instructions on the pack without realizing it. Most people in my thread on that indicated that I used about 12 times more than they would have in a beer. Oops.

I googled around and did find other people that had similar experiences.

 

[day_trippr]

I 'member that thread. Yeah, DAP used in beer in that high a dosage is a yeast growth attenuator, as I've convinced myself in starter experiments...

Cheers!

 

[CanaHomebrew]

It eventually got going and is fermenting the crap out of a beer right now.
I just never saw an entire new pack of yeast take that long to get a little 1.5L starter going.
My thinking on why the "bubble" could have ruined it is that I have recent experience with way too much yeast nutrient ruining a beer (stopping fermentation way early among other things) so if it was enough nutrient for 5 gal, I might have been screwed.
But if it is mostly sugar, then no worries; it seems to be going fine now.