I purchased a Wyeast smack pack at the store yesterday and wasn’t paying a lot of attention to it at the time, but when I got it home it appears that it has already been smacked. It was refrigerated, so it is not puffed up as much as one that is smacked and left at room temperature, but it is more puffed up than the usual ones. I can’t feel the inner packet inside, either. What should I do with this? Can I warm it to room temperature and pitch it into a conventional or SNS starter just like a regular freshly-smacked package?
My LHBS has had a lot of puffy packs lately that were not actually smacked, just puffing up over time under refrigeration. Not sure why they are producing CO2, but LHBS claims they are still good. Not sure what that tells you.
Yes. Use it.
Use it, or make a starter and use it.
Any time I’ve gotten 1056 from them it’s already expanded and I can’t smack the pack and break the bag anyways.
You probably don’t even need to warm it to room temp, if the beer is where it needs to be temp wise for fermenting, just pitch.
I plan to use it, the question is how. My original plan was to make a SNS starter the night before the brew day because I will be away for the few days prior. Now I am wondering if I should make a conventional starter right away to test the viability, then refrigerate until brew day. I do have time to get a replacement if there is a problem, but not if I wait until the night before brewing.
The Wyeast web site (Activator Smack-Pack System | Wyeast Liquid Yeast ) does say:
Activator™ packages will sometimes swell slightly, or moderately during shipping or later while properly stored. This is not an indication of deterioration if the package is less than 6 months old and has been properly handled. This is result of trace amounts of nutrients, still available at the time packaging, causing small amount of culture activity and CO₂ production. Some strains are more prone to this than others.
Do what gives you peace of mind. I think if I were in your position, I’d make the conventional starter, and I bet it’s fine, and you can forget about it while you’re away. But it’s a matter of your risk aversion and general paranoia. 
The info you post from WY sounds like what I’ve seen at LHBS, thanks for that.
I think the fact that it’s swelling is a good sign that the yeast is active. I’d make the starter and see what happens. I’ll bet an airport beer the little buggers take off like a rocket ship when given something to eat. If not, and it’s DOA, tell the LHBS and they’ll probably replace it. If a brewday is dependent on this gamble grab a pack of dry yeast to hedge your bet.
It’s absolutely fine. 1450 does that often and I’ve seen it a lot. Makes no difference. It’s fine to use. FWIW, I prefer not to warm the yeast to room temp before pitching it.
I seen quite often too. I’ve never had any problems with slightly puffy packs.
I needed a particular yeast one time and all my LHBS had were expired packs that were really swelled up. He was going to pitch them anyway so he just gave me 3 and said good luck. I made a starter with one pack and it worked just like every other pack. Used the other 2 later also.
Paul
I made a starter from this yeast pack today. When I cut open the pack and poured the yeast into the flask I found that the nutrient pack had not been ruptured. I couldn’t resist cutting it open and tasting it. Yummy! The starter foamed up nicely and everything is looking good. Thanks for all the comments and advice.
Which strain was it?
It was WY1318, London Ale III. The package date was 4/23/18, so it was on the old side (not that there’s anything wrong with that).