Impossible to get all the yeast out but worse, sanitizer drips off your hands onto the packaging and wants to drip into whatever you are pitching into. Absolutely hate it. Probably won’t buy again.
I much preferred the little vials. I keep 20-some of them because they are useful and reusable. In the old days, anyone could pitch a half a vial if they wanted. Now, not so easy, if I didn’t still fortunately have some old vials laying around!
Agreed, I exclusively use Imperial Yeast, Wyeast or Danstar since the switch.
I like the new packaging. I think the yeast seems more viable too.
Me, too.
I’m not a fan of the packaging either, but my LHBS only carries WL. I’ve been taking the remains and making small starters. I step them once and fridge them. Much prefer WY!!
Don’t get out all the yeast from any other mfr’s packaging either, so not sure about that logic. Just spray sanitize the surface you’ll be cutting; no need to dip your entire hand in sani. So not sure about that logic either. In short, it’s no better or worse than Wyeast’s or Imperial’s or whomever else’s packaging.
I don’t mind it, but it did take some getting used to. I cut the top of the outer package and just work with the clear inner sleeve. That helps me get a better sense if it is all mixed thoroughly before pitching. It also prevents me from leaking any into the outer sleeve and waste it.
I think it’s fine. I wouldn’t be against a slightly larger package with a bit more liquid to make it more pourable.
This was the problem I had with it. Squeezing like a toothpaste tube didn’t work that great. Had to shake it up and down and end up flinging yeast all over the place and got a good bit on my hands. Partially user error I’m sure.
For what it’s worth, I prefer Imperial but the little cans were no better. I’ve had several “explode” when I pop the top and spray yeast all over the kitchen and sometimes having to dig it out with a spoon. I haven’t used Imperials new bags yet, but I’ll be brewing a batch next week and I look forward to it.
I have to agree on this one. The little tube inside is hard as a rock and its hard to get all the yeast out. For all their faults, I prefer a smack pack. I’ve also been brewing almost exclusively with dry yeast lately, and repitching… which has been fun in it’s own right.
The way I use the White Labs yeast is to cut the outer package off and pull out the inner tube. I then shake that vigorously. Finally, I cut the end off inner tube and squeeze the between by fingers into the wort.
I never think much yeast is wasted.
Here is a video:
All the packages have their drawbacks. But I’ve generally used Wyeast because LHBS has the most turnover on that. Fortunately I harvest, rinse and repitch ad infinitum, so I rarely deal with the packaging. No problem getting yeast out of a Mason jar!
I get all the yeast out of WYEAST packets or almost all of it because it is in a more liquid format. You shake to suspend the yeast with the medium. And it almost all comes out. And if you put the package in a bucket of sanitizer to sani the outside (which I always do) it will be wet when you pull it out. If your hands aren’t sanitized then the liquid from your hand will drip down the package into you starter or wort as you try to squeeze out all the yeast that is gummed up inside the package. It’s not too hard to follow that logic: In fact it is pretty damn simple.
I’m guessing you work for White Labs. 
After posting and thinking about this I think the best way to make sure you dry your hands and the pack before adding the yeast so you can get all of it out. My issue has been that I wash hands, then put my hands in the bucket of sani to grab the yeast then when I’m trying to get the yeast out of the package I fresk out as I see the sanitizer leak off my hands on onto the package and then wory it is going to go into the wort.
Yeah… it’s like toothpaste, which I don’t really like. But I’ve dealt with it by using a funnel and squeezing it out first, then adding the starter wort through the funnel to wash it down. I hadn’t really thought about the hand thing but drying it first sees like the way to go.
Same way I do it. No issues with new packaging.
Your logic might be pretty damn simple but it’s also pretty damn flawed. You are complaining about the packaging when it’s really your wet, dripping hands that you’re complaining about. Not sure how the packaging is responsible for your wet hands. Just dry your hands before pitching or don’t dip them into the sani in the first place. Or spray-sani the outside of the yeast pouch. Either way, then your hands won’t drip. Duh. It’s a very easy solution to a trivial problem that really shouldn’t cause that much consternation in the first place. And no I don’t work for White Labs.
I use alcohol and a paper towel to sanitize the outside of the package and my scissors, 70% isopropyl or ethyl. Individual alcohol prep pads from the first aid aisle can be quite useful for sanitizing things. Get it wet, let it evaporate. You can use nitrile gloves wiped down with alcohol, if you’re really concerned with hand contamination. With all the talk of S. Diastaticus lately that’s probably the best way to go, anyway.
I use sanitized scissors on WY smacks, never occurred to me to use the nitrile gloves. Duh. Life-long brain fart there! Suddenly occurs to me that would be a great idea during many operations. Hitting the hardware store this morning anyway, got 'em on the list. Cheers.