So technically...should we wear sterile gloves or just wash our hands

This might seem like an odd question, but since I am starting my first batch tomorrow and I have read about the topic of proper sanitation [ad naseum], I started to wonder about the transfer of sanitized equipment out from the 5-gallon fermenter.


I plan on throwing my dish holder for the sink in the sanitizing solution so that I can put equipment on it to dry, but how do we transfer the equipment without reinoculating it? Obviously it seems like using sterile surgical gloves would be over the top, but...uh...yeah, still want to know.


Thanks.

Yes, over the top. While sanitation is important in brewing, it's not the evil boogeyman some books make it out to be. Just follow the same practices you use when handling food and you'll be fine. Wash your hands, gloves not needed.

BTW, Welcome to the forum.

I pee on my hands before I brew...it's sterile dontcha know.
(yeah you are over the top.)

Sanitization is important, BUT beer was made for over 2000 years before pasteur came up with germ theory. ANd just our own NORMAL cleanliness practices are miles ahead of those of our fore brewers, I mean we bathe regularly (well most of us do anyway) wand wash our hands...that's way more than was done in ancient times...so we're already a few steps ahead. Just follow basic principles of sanitization (anything touching the wort AFTER boiling needs to be sanitized.)

It's a good idea to keep a sink, bucket or spray bottle of sanitzer handy (and kitchen tongs if you have any) for any unforseen situations...before you reach for anything, to touch your wort, soak it or spray it with sanitizer (that includes your hands.)

You'll be fine...it really is difficult to screwup beer...especially for the first time brewer. I am more likely to get an infection than you, becasue my equipment gets a lot more use, and therefore there is the potential for scratches which could harbor bacteria.

What kind of sanitizer are you using? No rinse sanitizer don't require drying before use. Actually, it's better to use equipment wet since as long as it's wet it's sanitizing. Wash your hands with soap and water, then wet with sanitizer and you're good to go.
Welcome to HBT! Hope your first brew goes well.

Nurmey said:

What kind of sanitizer are you using? No rinse sanitizer don't require drying before use. Actually, it's better to use equipment wet since as long as it's wet it's sanitizing. Wash your hands with soap and water, then wet with sanitizer and you're good to go.
Welcome to HBT! Hope your first brew goes well.

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+1 on this...no rinse sanitizers are wet contact sanitizers...as long as the sanitized object is wet, any micro-organism falling on it will be killed...if the thing is dry then it may be sanitizd, but if a micro organism touches it, it is no longer...Like so much in life, wet is better.

Revvy said:

+1 on this...no rinse sanitizers are wet contact sanitizers...as long as the sanitized object is wet, any micro-organism falling on it will be killed...if the thing is dry then it may be sanitizd, but if a micro organism touches it, it is no longer...Like so much in life, wet is better.

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+1 for "Like so much in life, wet is better"
LMFAO!!!

+1 for "Like so much in life, wet is better"
Sky dive, SCUBA dive, Mu$$ dive. I like diving!
I agree, as long as there is no crude, looks clean, hit by a sanitizer, a good healthy yeast batch will overpower any tiny wimpy outsider and get the vast majority of the food and take over.

Hoosier said:

+1 for "Like so much in life, wet is better"
LMFAO!!!

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Hmmm, I don't know why I feel so inclined to chime in on this, but... +1
StarSan is a wonderful thing, I use it profusely. (The wife says it burns a little, but one can never be too careful! hehehe)

Another +1 for Star San.

I keep a 5 gallon bucket of it and dip items in it throughout brewday.

I keep a orange Homer bucket filled with Star San on hand at all times in the house. Comes in handy for gravity readings or to sanitize an airlock or clean racking equipment when I have a leaky keg that won't hold pressure. With a lid on it it, Star San usually keeps for 2 weeks for me before it turns cloudy and I have to replace it.

On brew day all equipment goes into the bucket and stays in there until I take it out for use. After use it gets rinsed in the sink and back into the bucket. Before handling anything that has been sanitized I dip my hands in the bucket.

Saccharomyces said:

I keep a orange Homer bucket ....

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Like this?

I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer by my sink and everytime I was my hands I sanitize them. I use the hand sanitizer because it's not as irritating as constantly dunking my hands in sanitizer water.

Personally I always brew in an ISO 4 clean room.