When to smack the yeast pack?

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Brewing today and using one of these Wyeast 'smack packs' for the first time.
It says to leave for at least 3 hrs to swell after activating, but I don't want to get to pitching time late this afternoon and realise I forgot to do it (!)
Is there any harm in starting it off now (maybe 5-6 hrs before i'll be pitching), or is that too far ahead?

 

[chopps]

No idea about the maximum pre-pitch smack time, but perhaps set the alarm on your phone for T minus 3 hours and smack it then?
You're just desperate to smack it now aren't ya!?

 

[trueblue]

When I first started to use them 30+ years ago the advice then was to smack them at least a day before.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

No idea about the maximum pre-pitch smack time, but perhaps set the alarm on your phone for T minus 3 hours and smack it then?
You're just desperate to smack it now aren't ya!?

Heh - if only I knew when ‘T’ was that’d be great... unfortunately this is only my fourth AG brew and I’m still changing many things in my process, so timings for the day are anyone’s guess :-)

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

When I first started to use them 30+ years ago the advice then was to smack them at least a day before.

Ok I’m going to give the pack an hour or so to come to room temp and then give it the beans

 

[Clint]

Yeah...knock seven bells out if it! Chuck it to the dog...wanna borrow my terriers?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Good job you're not in Scotland it's banned there.

 

[foxbat]

So you're not making a starter then? Is it a fresh pack? Is the beer fairly average gravity?

 

[Graz]

So you're not making a starter then? Is it a fresh pack? Is the beer fairly average gravity?

I was going to ask as I thought pitching a liquid yeast without getting it going in a starter first was a no-go, but then I'm no expert as I've never used one.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I’ve just used one of these “smack packs”. I took it out of the fridge the night before brew day to warm up and gave it the required smack half way through my 60 minute mash. By the time the mash and sparging and boiling and cooling ans settling and transfer to FV was done, that was a good three hours and the bag was showing signs of life, i.e. slightly inflated. Fermentation took a day to properly get going but all went well.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Thanks all - I’ve had it in a bowl of 21°C water most of the day (the recommended temp) and it’s inflated marginally. I’m now wondering whether to pitch at 21, or at 18 (my fermentation temp)? Stated working range for this yeast is 18-21°C

 

[peebee]

I was going to ask as I thought pitching a liquid yeast without getting it going in a starter first was a no-go, but then I'm no expert as I've never used one.

You don't need to be an expert. These "smack packs" have been available for a few years now, if they weren't reliable they wouldn't still be pushing them.

But I'm not going to trust one without a starter either!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I was going to ask as I thought pitching a liquid yeast without getting it going in a starter first was a no-go, but then I'm no expert as I've never used one.

The idea with these Wyeast ones is that they contain a sealed sachet of nutrients floating in the yeast, which you rupture when you ‘smack’ the pack - therefore the pack basically IS a starter; unless I’ve misunderstood?

 

[strange-steve]

The smack pack is not a replacement for a starter. The nutrient pack is only to kick start the yeast's metabolism to reduce lag, whereas a starter is to increase the cell count.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Ah - thanks!

 

[peebee]

The idea with these Wyeast ones is that they contain a sealed sachet of nutrients floating in the yeast, which you rupture when you ‘smack’ the pack - therefore the pack basically IS a starter; unless I’ve misunderstood?

And just to add to what @strange-steve put: Read the first few points of Wyeast's own FAQ (https://wyeastlab.com/frequently-asked-questions).

Particularly the bit that says "The smack-pack is not designed to dramatically increase the cell count, it simply “activates” the yeast metabolism ".

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

last time I used a liquid yeast and made a starter, I seem to recall being told I shouldn’t have

 

[strange-steve]

I seem to recall being told I shouldn’t have

For what reason?

 

[foxbat]

It's never wrong to make a starter with liquid yeast.

 

[obscure]

I don’t personally bother with a starter but I typicaly do 9L batches (and it tends to be session ale), I.e. on Saturday I’m doing a batch of Yorkshire bitter gravity will be about 1.038, which is probably why it has never being a problem for me.