The first smack pack in over 2 years

It would be an outright lie for me to say this is the first smackpack I have activated in 2 years, but it is still quite significant.  During my brewing hiatus, I did help my friends with some batches, and even made one or two for myself on borrowed equipment.  It scratched the itch.  I know I made a few smackpack started during this time too.  However, today I smacked a new pack of  Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen yeast, for a Hefewizen that is coming soon.

I am of the "always make a starter" belief.  Even if its a small starter with 24 hours lead time.  I seem to make mine well ahead of brew day - as is the case this time.  I realistically won't make the Hefe till Wednesday next week because of life.  

I am going with the wheat beer for a few simple reasons, relatively short turnaround, on hand ingredients, the heat of summer, and the fact that my friends seem to like them more than the more bold craft styles.  However, I have a coffee stout, saison, and IPA in the planning stages too.  

My starter procedure is fairly basic and not super precise.  I take about 1250-1500 MLs of water, boil it, add about a cup or so of DME and return to boil for about 15 mins.  Like I said, not super precise.  Once it cools to about 70* F, I pour into a sterile container - either a flask or a growler.  Then I cap it with a loose fitted piece of aluminum foil after a soak in StarSan.  No longer use the stir plate, no longer aerate - just a quick make it and pitch it.  Reason for no O2 is simple, its a 15 minute boil.  We are not driving a bunch of O2 out of solution in 15 mins.  The stir plate thing is more of an item I could see myself using again, but stopped for some time and never got back into it.  I felt that my cell counts were fine without, but never looked too deep into it to say exactly if that was smart or not.

Recipe and brewing notes forthcoming for the Hefe.