Brewing while sick?

Hey all,

I have been putting off kegging a batch because I've been a little sick and am coughing pretty often. My wife thinks that as much time as I spend sterilizing things that it would be fine. However, now I am not sure. I presume cooks/kitchen folk work pretty often a little under the weather, but their food is served right away, where beer has time to stew with a bacteria and go bad.

So, do you? would you? Incoming poll

I'd avoid coughing into the beer, but with the shear volume of bacteria floating around in the air anyway, I don't think your being sick (save coughing into the beer) should be an issue.

There's always junk floating around in the air and already on your body. Being sick really doesn't increase the chance of infection unless you hack up in the fermentor.

If concerned, wear some sort of mask or mouth covering of some kind, wash your hands frequently, and cough/sneeze into your upper arm, not your hands. Those are basic guidelines for healthcare workers, and I would not be too concerned doing the same if I had some work to do with my brewing.

Besides, from what I hear (and I have never seen actual literature on this, so if anyone out there has something on it, I would love to see it!), no known human pathogens can survive in beer. Does not mean that other bacteria can't invade your beer. However, that relies solely on your sanitation methods.

IMO, go for it, and take the few extra precautions mentioned above.

No Worries!

Ryan M.

Yes i have brewed while i was sick but did not have a problem.

But as you know the risk is allways there.
Most viruses live inside the body not out side
so as long as you sanitize your equipment well and your self by washing your hands you should be fine.

tim

I highly doubt any viruses would survive, the environment in the fermentor is too rough for them. Granted, I wouldn't go hacking up some sticky ole lungbutter into your wort, but beyond that everything should be fine.

I've probably told my boss I was sick once so I could brew but never felt like brewing when I'm sick.

As above, just wear a dustmask or something if you're super concerned.

If you brew when you're sick then how would you prove any potential problems with the beer were caused by your sickness?

Wouldn't star-san or any other sanitizing agent kill the cold/flu bugs just like any other bugs?

Is brewing while sick a real concern if you practice good sanitation like washing your hands not sneezing in your wort?

I am going to side with nothing that is in a normal beer can make you sick. I am not a Dr. nor do I care to use the Google machine to back this up but I will bet that the virus and all the bacteria that would cause sickness in humans will be sterilized by the fermentation and/or the alcohol. As above I would be cautious and wear a mask if I was sick just because I am paranoid.