These "Smack Packs" are great!

[S.F.B.]

Yesterday I brewed an American Pale. Prior to starting I took the Wyeast 1056 "Smack Pack" out of the fridge and gave it a whack. About half way through the brewing process I looked and saw that the yeast had alresdy expanded the package to where it looked like it would burst if you gave it a gentle squeeze. I finished and pitched and set the fermenter in the pantry. Woke up this morning and damned if the fermentation isn't going as strong as if I had pitched a starter.

This is nice because I don't usually get the time to do a starter. Not because I have such a hectic life. I brew pretty much on a whim. I'll get the urge to do it and will plan, buy and brew all the same day.

Just thought I would share this. :)

[HogieWan]

I love 'em too. I usually smack it at least 8 hours before pitching but no more than a day. I had one that had the airlock going like crazy in under 7 hours!

[shifty brewer]

I was really suprised the first time I used one of the new activator packs, they kickass. I won't even use the old style packs anymore (actually I'm not sure if they still make them)

[ray m]

I employed my first Wyeast smack pack (1056) 2 batches ago, and I too was impressed with how quickly it got the airlock going in my fermenter (under 9 hours, as opposed to at least 16-18 hours using a tube of White Labs, sans starter).:)

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by ray m
I employed my first Wyeast smack pack (1056) 2 batches ago, and I too was impressed with how quickly it got the airlock going in my fermenter (under 9 hours, as opposed to at least 16-18 hours using a tube of White Labs, sans starter).:)

the smack pack is a self contained starter. while there's not enough wort to allow the yeast to multiply to great quantities there's just enough to wake the yeast up, which is wy there's such short lag times..

[Bruno_78]

I had an 18 hour lag from pitch to seeing the first signs in the airlock earlier this week. Strange, I've never had it take so long with these new packs.

[S.F.B.]

I have had one take longer than 24 hours but it was my screw up. I was half way through the brewing process when I remembered to take it out of the fridge. I think it was my 1st or 2nd time using one. Anyway, it didn't even swell to a quarter of what it should have.

[ray m]

Originally posted by HogieWan:

the smack pack is a self contained starter. while there's not enough wort to allow the yeast to multiply to great quantities there's just enough to wake the yeast up, which is wy there's such short lag times..
________________________________________

I knew that the smack packs were "quasi"-starters. What I meant by my "sans starter" phrase was not making a quart or larger starter for either the White Labs or the Wyeast. I was still impressed with the lag time being cut in half with the smack pack.

[unkle bik]

anybody have a special trick to get the nutrient pack split?
I have a terrible time with trying toget the pack to burst.

[ray m]

I just set the bag on the counter and tried to work the nutrient pack bulge to the center. Then I wacked it with the heel of my hand. Had to do this 5 times before I got it though.

[Trogger]

Originally posted by unkle bik
anybody have a special trick to get the nutrient pack split?
I have a terrible time with trying toget the pack to burst.

I posted this once before somewhere else, but here's my method....

Place the pack flat on the counter, and feel around for the nutrient pouch. Move it to the center of the pack. Grab a rolling pin and give the center of the pouch a firm, solid whack. Works first time every time for me. Much better than using your hands. I’ve had difficulty with that too.

[unkle bik]

Good advice, trogger.
I'll try it next time.

I am always worried about hitting the pack so hard it will puncture the outer pack.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by unkle bik
anybody have a special trick to get the nutrient pack split?
I have a terrible time with trying toget the pack to burst.

I usually get the inner packs to the bottom of the pack, lay it on the counter, and smack the living hel out of it.

[Trogger]

Originally posted by unkle bik
Good advice, trogger.
I'll try it next time.

I am always worried about hitting the pack so hard it will puncture the outer pack.

They are pretty strong. The first time I used one I smacked it really hard by practically throwing it against the counter like 5 times... Complete overkill on the nutrient pouch, but the pack didn’t break open.

[sundontlie]

a friend and i brew some batches together, last one we used our first smack pack and it worked like a charm, we smacked it about 16 hours before pitching, and we took it to the bar with our girlfriends who kept it in their purses and called it their baby all night... woke up and brewed the next morning.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by sundontlie
. . . we took it to the bar with our girlfriends who kept it in their purses and called it their baby all night... woke up and brewed the next morning.


That's disturbing and awesome all at the same time!

[unkle bik]

I usually put mine on top the fridge, near the back.
The steady stream of warm air (80 degrees) gets the pack to balloon quickly. Yesterday, it was ready in about 4-5 hours.

[Trogger]

With the beer I brewed yesterday, I forgot to get the darn thing out of the fridge until after the boil was done. I put the lid on the pot, smacked the pack and placed it on the warm lid. It swelled in only a hour and a half, so I pitched it.

[S.F.B.]

Originally posted by unkle bik
anybody have a special trick to get the nutrient pack split?
I have a terrible time with trying toget the pack to burst.

Nothing special. I just try to get the innner pack to an area of the pouch where I can feel it. Hold ot in my left hand and give it a good whack with the heel of my right hand. I like all these different methods though. I will keep them in mind if I have trouble getting one to pop.

[Bradfrd12]

hey guys....

I am really glad to see all the positive comments about the smack packs. i just got my first two today and am looking forward to using one of them this weekend. I'm going to do my best to brew an American Pale Ale (in Spain).

My question is how best to store the yeast packs and how long can I store them for without problems. I'm going to put them in the fridge but I don't know how long they can last in there.

Bradford

[danno]

just store them in the fridge. they'll last quite a while (I brewed a batch with yeast that was 18 months old, but I made a starter), but the longer you go, the longer they may take to swell up. there's a production date on the front of the package, IIRC the rule of thumb was to allow 1 day for each month of age, but that may have been for the older, smaller gold packages. I've had two month old smack packs that were fully inflated within 4 hours...

you can also put the inflated smack pack into the fridge if your brewing gets delayed, but your shelf life is considerably shorter, like a week max...

[Harvest]

Originally posted by unkle bik
anybody have a special trick to get the nutrient pack split?
I have a terrible time with trying toget the pack to burst.

I know this is an old thread, but someone will read it sooner or later. I thought it important to say something about how one knows if it bursts. When I used my first smack pack, I hit the thing about a dozen times then stood there scratching my head saying, "so, did it break?" For the first timers, you WILL know when it bursts because it makes a very loud SNAP sound, almost like the crack of a whip. If you don't hear that, keep pounding.

BTW, I found working it into a corner, putting my fingers behind it so it can't move around, and then smacking it with a lot of force on the palm of my other and was the sure-fire method. I'm gonna try the rolling pin next time though to save my delicate hands:D .

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by unkle bik
anybody have a special trick to get the nutrient pack split?
I have a terrible time with trying toget the pack to burst.

I use my truck....

Actually, someone said a corner, use a top corner, and hold it so that the slurry is resting in the bottom..

[markaberrant]

I've used 2 smack packs. I beat the crap out of both of them, but only 1 actually popped. But for the 1 that didn't, I had planned to do a starter anyways, so it really didn't matter.

[choreboy]

I always had a hard time breaking the inner package until the last time- I had just bought the packet at the HBS and wanted to get a head start, so I was trying to break it in the store- while sampeling their latest batch- and the girl behind the counter looked at me like I was an idiot, which I am, and said "Just find the inner packet, center it over your upturned palm and clap." I thought- yeah like that is going to work. But I tried it, it worked, and I have been doing it the same way every since.

I would leave the rolling pin out of it if possible- sounds like great potential for great damage to self and others.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by choreboy
I would leave the rolling pin out of it if possible- sounds like great potential for great damage to self and others.

Sounds like great potential for entertainment, if you are on the sideline....

[jjpm74]

Smack packs are good to use in a starter or for a basic beer. I'd never use one in a bigger beer. It takes 15 minutes and two days of advance notice to make a good starter. That's nothing compared to what it takes to brew.

[ralew2]

I bought this pack on Saturday the 25th and smacked it. Today when I brewed a 5 gallon batch it had only swelled about 1/4 inch. I pitched it anyway. I anticipate a slow ferment. Should I get another pack and pitch it?

[s8n]

I wouldn't worry ralew2. The first time I used a smack pack I didn't smack it well enough and it didn't swell at all. I still pitched it, it just took 24 hours to get going. I always have a back up plan when it comes to this though, I have tons of dry yeast hanging around just in case. What that means is, I have a ton of dry yeast for a reason. I never have to use the dry yeast packs, they usually come with the kits a buy. The smack packs have always worked for me.