Wyeast Activator Pack Mistake

[pjviitas]

I have made a couple of dozen batches of ale using beer kits with drinkable results and have finally decided to make a lager.

I decided on a Wyeast Activator 125 ml XL Smack pack.

After gentlly squeezing the pouch with my hands and feeling something give I thought I had popped both the yeast and nutrient pack inside the pouch.

The pouch grew slightly over the course of 3 hours after which I decided to add it to my wort which was at 75C. This is when I discovered that the nutrient pack was not popped.

After 18 hours the wort seems to have the typical "cloud" on of yeast starting to break out and some wispy patches of foam on top however, compared to my ale fermenations this doesn't seem right.

What should I do?

[BrewDog]

It'll be ok. Let it run its course. It'll take.

[Grog]

It's fine. Don't worry. The nutrient pack is there to give the ferment a bit of a head start is all.

[brewmonkey]

You might have a bit more lag time but no worries you should be good to go.

[pjviitas]

Now at 42 hours.

Due to conditions out of my control temperature has stablized at 63F.

Put the blow-off tube in water and the yeast is slowly pushing CO2.

Condensation build-up inside blow-off tube where it enters the bung.

The wort still has a "cloud" on with wispy patches of bubbles floating around the surface.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

[Trogger]

It should still work. In my first lager I ended up using a smack pack that did properly pop, but the pack never expanded. I still pitched it and there was a 2.5 day lag. But it still tastes good!
With smack packs, I've used "don't be gentle" methodology. I find the nutrient pouch, put the smack pack on the counter and push the nutrient pouch to the middle of the pack. Then I give it one whack with a rolling pin. Hard enough to break the pouch, but not hard enough to burst the pack. Works well.

[pjviitas]

It took 55 hours.

Woke up at 7:00am to a nice billowing krausen dome about 3 inches thick then moved the carboy to the cold room (50F).

Thanks for keeping my feet on the ground folks. Now I can't wait for the 10 weeks it will take before being able to drink it!

Just to keep my facts strait for this thread I added the yeast at 75F NOT 75C.

Thanks again with best regards, Peter

[BrewDog]

Good to hear!