Wyeast packs

[BuffaloHop]

Anyone ever have problems with the Wyeast Direct pitch packs?


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[DoctorMick]

I've had one which didn't swell up but it still fermented fine.

 

[MyQul]

What sort of problem?

When I bought one, I for the life of me could get the inner nutrient pouch to break. I even considered getting a hammer out :lol:
In the end I just cut the top off both the yeast pouch and nutrient pouch and poured both in the the starter wort had had ready prepared. Everything turned out fine

 

[Cwrw666]

I've only used a Wyeast smack pack once.
First thought was my God it's expensive - £6.85. But it was the only French Saison yeast I could get.
Then when I used it - I smacked it. Didn't burst the inner. Smacked again. Same. Put it on a very firm table and beat the s**t out of it with my fist. And then it burst. Left it somewhere warm for an hour or so, the pack swelled up, then pitched and it worked very well.

You do have to get the inner to burst or it won't work (except as Myqul did, using a starter as well)

Personally I wouldn't bother again at that price unless I really, really wanted to make some unusual kind of beer.

 

[Covrich]

Put it on a very firm table and beat the s**t out of it with my fist.

Perhaps a suggestion to wyeast to revise their instructions? :lol:

 

[YeastFace]

They are fiddly to burst. I put on the worktop, use one hand to stop the pouch from moving and then press firmly with the base of my hand.

I've never directly pitched as they've always been 4 months old by the time I've got them, so once swollen they have gone in a starter.

 

[MyQul]

Personally I wouldn't bother again at that price unless I really, really wanted to make some unusual kind of beer.

I kind of agree here. I wouldn't buy a smak/pak or WLP vial just for one beer. If I'm going to buy a strain I buy something that I can re-pitch several times.

I'm wondering if there is a bottled conditioned saison out there somewhere that you could have cultured the strain up from. As if you mostly use your own fresh wort as a culture medium it works out loads cheaper than using a smakpak/vial.
Even if you use all DME it's still cheaper. Based on it being ��£6 for a kilo of DME iirc I once worked it out that it cost about ��£4 to culture up a strain

 

[IainM]

I don't think it is that expensive at all. I put it straight into a starter, which I split after fermentation, and my next beer will be the third I've got out of it. I'll get even more once I harvest from what I have in the fv at the moment. In the long run it'll turn out cheaper than dried.

 

[BuffaloHop]

Haha I didn't have a problem getting the pack to break but it didn't swell. Took about 36 hours to see any activity with the airlock. All good now, was just a bit worried!


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[YeastFace]

I think Dupont reseed for bottling. Burning Sky may be the primary strain, just avoid the ones with Brett/Lacto.

 

[Covrich]

I did look for a bottle conditioned saison because I do think it is a strain that is just so unique to the style I wouldn't want to buy it and not reuse it. I couldn't come up with anything

I don't mind buying vials if I know I will reuse it at least 2-3 times then teh cost per batch diminishes, but if you can culture up a strain form a bottle great

 

[BeerCat]

Anyone ever have problems with the Wyeast Direct pitch packs?


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I smacked a pack of Ringwood 1187 Saturday and it took 3 days to swell. Put it in a starter last night and no Krausen. Its as flat as the ocean.
The bottle on the left is WLP004 which been using since January.
I presume this is duff and needs to be ditched. Its annoying as i am gonna have to make starters with the other 2 packs i have well in advance in case they are duff as well. Opinions please?

 

[MyQul]

The ringwood strain is notoriuos for needing lots of attention. From what ive read it needs regular rousing etc as it can flocc out easily. If you google the strain you'll find a lot of talk about this on forums. I've never used it though

Even though there's no krausen is it off gassing when you shake it?

 

[BeerCat]

The ringwood strain is notoriuos for needing lots of attention. From what ive read it needs regular rousing etc as it can flocc out easily. If you google the strain you'll find a lot of talk about this on forums. I've never used it though

Even though there's no krausen is it off gassing when you shake it?

Yes it is now. I had loosened the lid after i blew up one of these bottles a few weeks ago.
I have never roused yeast before. Will have a search later and maybe try this out in a 10l batch. I didn't wanna risk pitching this into the BIPA i made at the weekend especially as was my first brew with a chiller. Thanks mate.

 

[strange-steve]

I used that ringwood strain recently and experienced the same thing, the starter was flat as a pancake and was barely gassing when shaking. I thought it was dead but pitched it anyway and it fermented out nicely without any messing about.