Santizing "makes" mash paddle

Hey am currently going through an intense equipment sanitization. Had an infected batch. I recently got a maple paddle that has no finish and was wondering the proper way to sanitize it. I have sanstar but don't know how to go about using it for fear it'll suck it up and taint my next batch. Thanks.

If you're using it only for the mash and it never touches your wort post-boil, there's no need to sanitize it.

That shouldn't be a concern being that it would only be used pre-boil. You need to look at everything post boil.

Hello! Yup....definately don't need to sanitize it. Your only using it pre-boil in the mash tun, and you should rinse it with clean water after each use. You actually sterilize (not just sanitze) your wort in the course of boiling. The usual culprits are the fermenter, racking hoses, and ball valves. For difficult infections try bleach first, then starsan after

Your not actually sterilizing with the boil, there are still something's that could survive the boil however the overwhelming majority will be killed by it. Whats left over would be overtaken by the yeast growth (if your cool side process is clean). It's important to note the wort is not sterile at only boiling temps, that takes a much higher temp...or chemical assistance.

Ddubduder said:

Your not actually sterilizing with the boil, there are still something's that could survive the boil however the overwhelming majority will be killed by it. Whats left over would be overtaken by the yeast growth (if your cool side process is clean). It's important to note the wort is not sterile at only boiling temps, that takes a much higher temp...or chemical assistance.

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Incorrect...boiling wort for an hour does infact sterilize. This is one of simplest forms of doing so....anyone thats ever had microbiology in college knows this....surgical implements can also be sterilized in this manor. The most common application of this is in canning, as most gardeners who can their own veggies can tell you. The bacteria must be re colonized into your wort after cooling.....which happens from enviromental conditions (I.e. dust particle in you household air, pollen, suicidal bees, and nose hairs) In practice your wort is almost always re colonized in some form or another post boil.........but it takes time for an infection to grow, and thats when the clock starts to tick. Will your yeast create enough alcohol in time????

patthebrewer said:

Incorrect...boiling wort for an hour does infact sterilize. This is one of simplest forms of doing so....anyone thats ever had microbiology in college knows this....surgical implements can also be sterilized in this manor. The most common application of this is in canning, as most gardeners who can their own veggies can tell you. The bacteria must be re colonized into your wort after cooling.....which happens from enviromental conditions (I.e. dust particle in you household air, pollen, suicidal bees, and nose hairs) In practice your wort is almost always re colonized in some form or another post boil.........but it takes time for an infection to grow, and thats when the clock starts to tick. Will your yeast create enough alcohol in time????

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I'm sorry to tell you that your microbiology professor lied to you. Yes, boiling water will kill bacteria, but it is not enough for some fungal growth. Being sterile is killing 100% of all organic material and leaving fungal growth behind is not killing 100%. There are several baddies that are heat tolerant and a simple rolling boil will not kill them all. That is the reason an autoclave reaches temperatures above 100c or 212f. Do a quick google search and you'll find the answer, or listen to the sanitize episode of Brew Strong on the BN, the owner of Five Star (ie, Starsan and PBW) products is very clear exactly what the difference between sanitize and sterilize.

Ddubduder said:

I'm sorry to tell you that your microbiology professor lied to you. Yes, boiling water will kill bacteria, but it is not enough for some fungal growth. Being sterile is killing 100% of all organic material and leaving fungal growth behind is not killing 100%. There are several baddies that are heat tolerant and a simple rolling boil will not kill them all. That is the reason an autoclave reaches temperatures above 100c or 212f. Do a quick google search and you'll find the answer, or listen to the sanitize episode of Brew Strong on the BN, the owner of Five Star (ie, Starsan and PBW) products is very clear exactly what the difference between sanitize and sterilize.

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correct! Spores can survive boiling. Stuff like Botulism can survive boiling. The good news is that these spores won't grow in beer. The beer ph is too low or something like that.

This is true, certain things can be canned at boiling temperature but other item need to be canned under pressure for higher temp like veggies

You're still missing the point. Yes there are (a select few) some that can survive the boil. However their concentration in the wort and on equipment is ridiculously low or non existent in the home brew setting. You're just scaring some people thinking more than a boil is needed lol. What is in your wort goes through an hour boil, quick cooling, acidic conditions, competition and out competing by yeast and then high alcohol levels. Sanitation is more than enough for us.

You do not need to sanitize the mash paddle unless you are dunking it into to your fresh wort. Like a few others have said you're contamination is coming after the boil. Clean everything that touches your cooled wort, which involves taking equipment and valves apart and letting them soak.

Oh that, yes I think reading down I forgot about the whole point.
I always use the mash paddle for the boil, but 2 brews ago I used the same paddle for mash boil and hop stand stir as it was cooling. This batch got a lacto infection
My first one ever and I have no idea why. I suppose this is a small possibility?

Wood is porous and can absorb bacteria pretty well. I don't think the boil would be enough to sanitize the paddle although I could be wrong. I wouldn't use the paddle in the boil. What is the purpose of stirring the boiling wort? I cannot think of any good reasons besides hopstands which I would use SS or plastic paddles or spoons.

Edit: and I wasn't talking about you missing the point!

Yes, the point is that boiling kills almost everything we're concerned about, but there are very well defined definitions of sanitizing and sterilizing and when people start throwing the wrong terms around, it's misinformation that someone will take literally.
As stated earlier I probably wouldn't use the wood paddle in the boil. If it were early in the boil, anything that leached out of it should be killed, but if it stayed throughout the boil into chilling, there's a possibility it could be infecting. I would think that baking the paddle would sanitize it, but I certainly don't have an oven that size. Simply soaking in Star San or other sanitizer I wouldn't think would be very effective as you're never going to completely saturate the wood.