I’m getting ready to go with my first extract kit from NB, the Bavarian Hefe using the liquid Wyeast 3068 option. This is the first time I’ve brewed anything in awhile and the first time using a liquid yeast. When I opened my order this afternoon I checked out the yeast first thing and it as well as everything else in the box was easily over 100 degrees. Both the yeast pack and the gel pack were warm to the touch. So, is this a problem? Can a liquid yeast pack survive despite having gotten so warm? I don’t plan to brew until early next week, so should I just wait until brew morning, smack and verify inflation before proceeding? Thanks! 
Yeast are able live up to around 110*. Pop activate the bag today. You don’t want to find out after you boiled the wort that your yeast are bad.
You might want to do a starter, that would be the best way to know for sure.
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Brewmeister, if you choose to do as Nighthawk did and activate it now, simply observe how fast it is to inflate. If it inflates up within a few hours, you’ve got good viability on your yeast. Then just stick it in your fridge until 2-3 hours before you pitch. You can activate it and let it sit in the fridge for a week or so after activation.
If it doesn’t inflate, shoot us an email or a telephone call and we’ll replace it.
Also, as the Cheshire_Cat mentioned, a starter is never a bad idea.
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Sense you stated this is your 1st brew in a while, forgo thinking about a starter. Besides, you don’t have time to do a proper starter unless you wait to brew until next weekend.
Pop the bag and see if it inflates. If so, brew on. On brew day, you can pull out 1qt of your wort after boiling for 10-15 minutes. Cool it down and add the yeast to this. Finish the brew day. After you see activity in the qt of wort, add it to the fermenter. A simple “mini/quick” starter.
If the pouch doesn’t inflate, Call NB for a replacement.
I appreciate all the helpful comments. I’m probably overly concerned since the liquid yeast is a new thing for me. It’s good to know I can activate it up to a week before brew day. I’ll do that to be sure all is well and will think about the starter method suggested by Nighthawk, which is also a new concept. And it’s also good to know NB will replace the yeast if necessary, which probably (hopefully) won’t be necessary. I’m just beginning to understand how different yeasts can influence the final product and am anxious to give this one a try! Thanks again!
I recently ordered through the buy two get one free sale and when I was placed the order it indicated that there would be a cold pack with each yeast…When we opened the package yesterday there was only one cold pack it had already “melted”. I was surprised not to see at least one other cold pack with three wyeast packages…
The american ale yeast for the dead ringer kit was already swelling, and when I felt the package I could still feel the yeast nutrient had not been broken… but the yeast package was already fairly stiff to the touch that I am not sure I would be able to get the nutrient pack “smacked” th get it going…
The other two yeast packages were nice flat and still cool to the touch…Any ideas ?
Ron B…
The inflated yeast is fine. There was some unfermented wort in the package. When it warmed up, the yeast ate the sugars and produced CO2. It happens occasionally.
