Wyeast didnt activate, what now?

[clemenke]

I just tried using a wyeast activator pack for the first time. The package suggested giving it a slap activate after finding the activator pouch with your fingers.

I really could not feel the pouch, so just squeezed the whole pounch several times firmly. After ketting it sit for 2.5 hours, I opened it and poured it in my fermenter. Of course, at the end out comes the activator pack, in tact, of which without thinking I squeezed open into my fermenter.

Im guessing the yeast will not activate and will be useless now, is there anyway to save the batch?? Do I just need to add more yeast? If so I do not have anymore and would have to order online, will my batch last in the fermenter without yeast for several days?

Help!

[fretlessman71]

If I don't miss my guess, that "activator pack" is just yeast nutrient, which really isn't all that different from wort. The activator function basically gives you a starter without having to go through all the hassle; without it, you ought to be fine. But I'd aerate the crap out of that batch as soon as you can; make SURE you have one heckuva seal on the carboy and Sheik Yerbouti til the cows come home. Or, if you're using a brewing bucket, get a whisk, find a sanitary way to attach it to a wooden spoon, sanitize both and go to town. You'll be fine - relax, don't worry, have a homebrew. Welcome to the board - stick around! :)

[Grog]

Yes, welcome. Fret is exactly right, the nutrient pack is not necessary to the health of the yeast, it just gives them a head start.

What was the OG of the batch?

[stronk]

That's a very valuable piece of info, I always thought that it was the other way around (yeast in the pocket and nutrient in the main bag). Thanks!

[clemenke]

Thanks for the advice, I will try and aerate the crap out of it now. Has any tried the technique Papazian suggests using the air pump for a fish tank and a steralized line and airstone? He suggests shoving cotten in the line and boiling the line and stone first to sanitize, then use it to aerate. I feel I can do that easier than trying to create a bacteria free way to use a wisk.

BTW, my hydrometer reading was

[Grog]

You can get sterile inline filters from morebeer.com. The whisk is fine for now, just stick it in boiling water for 15 minutes and then (with an oven mitt) remove it and beat the bajezus out of the thing. Aeration stones are cool and neat to have, but they are simply a gaget (Now oxygen on the other hand...)