Ever had Wyeast expand without smacking it?

[PDub]

So I've had ingredients to brew a Scottish 80 for about a month now (kids tend to change plans whether you want them to or not). I stuck the yeast and hops on the rack in the kegerator. I open the kegerator this morning to grab the yeast to smack it and it's already fully expanded! Hm, that's kinda weird, maybe I accidentally smacked it a month ago before I put it in the kegerator. Go through my brew day, and after I pitch the yeast, I decide to open the wyeast pack all the way to look at the nutrient bag. It's not burst! So somehow my scottish yeasties were creating CO2 for a month, in the 40F temperature, without the nutrients...

Hope that doesn't mean there were some baddies in there from packaging.... Should make for a quick and complete ferment if there were, though. Guess I'll just call it a lambic scottish instead.

[3 Dogs]

Yup. I tried to smack the little sack inside and had no luck. It swelled too much. I made a starter anyway and manually opened the little nutrient sack and added it to the starter. I didn't notice any difference in the beer.




3 Dogs

[BadRock]

I rarely use Wyeast so I haven't really had that problem but I have had other things swell without smacking them.

[PDub]

I have had other things swell without smacking them.

Not into the S&M, eh? I'm shocked, truly I am!

[slanted & enchanted]

i think when the packs get old sometimes that nutrient will seep out and you start go get the spontaneously expanding packs. i figure as long as it's still expanded that yeast is holding its own in there.

[Gueze Lvr]

I had it happen. No problem, the beer turned out just fine.