wyeast smack pack and small brew quantities

[W0nderW0man]

so far I've only used dried yeast but I am planning another Weißbier and wonder whether I should go with the wyeast 3068 for that one.

I can't brew more than 13l batches though and I read now that overpitching with this yeast will reduce the ester tastes, which is what you would want for that style of beer.

So I'm guessing that one smack pack treats about 21l of beer, which means that I would be overpitching 13l with one pack. Can you reseal it or something? I guess I would need more than half a pack though... :-?

 

[Covrich]

Well normally you'd make a starter with a smack pack anyway so I don't think you would be over pitching with a single pack

 

[Hoddy]

No need to make a starter for anything up to 21 litres with any wyeast smack pack. The cell density to match pitching/inoculation rates up to 1.060 is just fine. However if you have, or are doing a 13 litre batch I would stick with dry yeast as you can measure it out before re-hydration. Over pitching with liquid yeast, or any yeast isn't really recommended as the esters that will be produced won't be pleasant and your attenuation will be unpredictable. The basic message is look up inoculation/pitching rates (Brewers friend) and make sure you pitch the right amount of yeast to wort volume.

 

[duncans]

I would have pitched around half and kept the rest for later. You need to keep the spare half as sanitary as possible but its doable. As a small batch brewer I have a lot of half packs of yeast hanging around.

According to wyeast 1 smackpack is OK for straight in to 23 l.

 

[mike77]

You could probably split the smack pack over 3 or 4, roughly half liter starters. Pitch one and keep the rest in the fridge for use at a later point.

 

[W0nderW0man]

I didn't think you needed a starter with them according to the company?

So... can you underpitch? Or would that just mean that fermentation might take longer?

I have to say, I've always used the whole dried yeast pack even for batches of around 11-13l. I guess I am also a bit worried about measuring the yeast out (as it has to be really sanitary and sterile) and I haven't got a jewellery scales yet (about to get one).

The dried yeasts I've used have all been great so far. The only reason I was looking into the 3068 was as it's been praised for it's taste for this particular beer style and as I would like to harvest the yeast after, I would splash out on some liquid yeast. I just want a really fruity wheat beer.

 

[W0nderW0man]

I would have pitched around half and kept the rest for later. You need to keep the spare half as sanitary as possible but its doable. As a small batch brewer I have a lot of half packs of yeast hanging around.

According to wyeast 1 smackpack is OK for straight in to 23 l.

Would you then use just half a pack for 12 to 13l? How and where to you store the other half then and does it matter that it has been "activated" by the smack?

 

[mike77]

Easier option than what I stated above would be. Save 1 liter of your beer and put it in a separate sanitized starter bottle. Pitch half the pack directly to your bigger beer and half to the starter bottle. Let the starter ferment out then stick it in the fridge. You could then use the yeast from the bottom of the starter in another brew later

 

[Halfacrem]

I've used Smack packs a couple of times on 12 litre brews. Pitched the whole pouch. No problems with either brew.

Just my opinion, but I think over pitching is perhaps one of those Home brew concerns that at small batch levels is unlikely to cause problems in reality.

 

[W0nderW0man]

Easier option than what I stated above would be. Save 1 liter of your beer and put it in a separate sanitized starter bottle. Pitch half the pack directly to your bigger beer and half to the starter bottle. Let the starter ferment out then stick it in the fridge. You could then use the yeast from the bottom of the starter in another brew later

That sounds like a good idea thanks!