Activated a couple of smack packs for a Scottish ale this morning. They inflated nicely but then I wasn’t able to brew today. Will the yeast still be good in a day or two, and should I put the inflated packs back in the fridge?
I’d put them in the fridge, and they’ll be fine over the next couple days.
They will be fine put them in the fridge and get them back out few hours before you brew. I had some shipped that showed up that way. Had one in fridge for a month made a starter and took right off.
Smacking it just allows the yeast to have a bit of wort. It’s like a mini “starter.” It shows that the yeast is alive and gives it a bit of a head start. So, as said above, putting it in the fridge for a day or two shouldn’t affect it much at all. If it is longer, you could make a starter for it if you’re worried.
I put the inflated packs back in the fridge and used them a week later. The next morning there was no bubbling so I got worried. But when I got home from work that evening it was bubbling like the zombie apocalypse with a nice, fat head of suds. Two days later, still going strong.
