Hi all,
So I received three batches of Wyeast smack-packs (American Ale and American Ale II) that are already puffy, although not full-blown huge. They were still cold, although my wife threw them in the fridge when they arrived and isn’t sure if they were cold when they arrived.
Are they DOA, or are they safe to use (or somewhere in between)?
Thanks,
Nate
You profile doesn’t list where you live. So assumptions have to be made as to the weather the package went through.
It’s possible, though not probable, that they were packaged before fully consuming the wort they were in. So the pouch puffed a little.
Then it’s also possible the pouch inside has been ruptured and the pouch puffed up. Again, not probable.
The yeast is still fine. Like usual, make a starter.
You can cut the pouch open and then cut the inner pouch to add it to the starter.
1056 is notorious for swelling before it is smacked.
I live in Mass. It was warm today, but the package didn’t sit out for almost any time at all… my wife brought it in nearly immediately. Of course, it sat in the truck and had to be shipped.
Swollen packages are almost always the cause of a small amount of sugar or CO2 being left in solution at the time of packaging. Upon shipment, CO2 can be released from solution or the yeast can consume the sugar and create a small amount of CO2.
Should be fine.
Thanks everyone!
