[treaves]

The yeast I plan to brew with this weekend was well past the Best Use date, but it is what the store had.  I smacked it last night, and there is no real swelling.  I plan on putting it into a starter tonight, but was wondering if people have succeeded under such circumstances?  Is there still possibly enough viable yeast to take off in a starter?

And as I use a stir plate and foam stopper for my starters, I won't see bubbling;  once settled, how many mm of yeast typically collect in the bottom of a 2000ml flask?

Thanks.

[phillamb168]

I had a pre-smacked smack pack delivered to me a few weeks ago; I stuck it in the fridge and it deflated quite a bit, so I was nervous about pitching it. However, after a day of lag time, it's fermenting nicely. The wee yeasties are a resilient lot; I think you'll be ok.

[phillamb168]

Also note that, at least for my smack pack, there are two things which one must smack: The yeast pack, and the food pack. If you didn't smack the right pack, give it another crack.
</doctorseuss>

[ryang]

yeah I had the same thing happen with some belgian wyeast.  I made a starter with it but pitched a white labs tube as well.  Fermented nicely, although I can't say whether or not the yeast from the smack pack did much.

[Hokerer]

You should be fine since you're making a starter.  There's almost sure to be some viable yeasties in there.

[bluesman]

I think a starter will do the trick.  You'd have to do something awfully wrong to completely kill a smack pack.  Those yeasties are alot tougher than you think.

[alikocho]

I pitched a non-inflated pack a few weeks back. I could hear it fizzing, but it hardly swelled. Hoped I was having a long lag, but it picked up an infection.  Irritated, but I guess one lives and learns to make a starter.

[denny]

The yeast I plan to brew with this weekend was well past the Best Use date, but it is what the store had.  I smacked it last night, and there is no real swelling.

The date is the manufacture date, not the use by date.  The ROT is to expect it to take one day for every month past manufacture for it to swell.

[treaves]

It's nice to know those little critters are so hardy!