Dry hop bag sanitize?

[Raven_BC]

So I've gotten a hop bag to put into my primary for tonight. It's a cloth bag by the looks of it. Do I spray it down with starsan before putting it into the fermenter and then let it dry out?

 

[Keith81]

I submerge mine in a container of StarSan to assure it gets in all the mesh holes. Don't let it dry, just sanitize, add hops and put in fermenter wet.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Agree with @Keith81 submerge it in starsan and soak for a bit, add hops to bag and drop it in wet.

 

[RPh_Guy]

StarSan doesn't sanitize porous surfaces.

Boiling water takes care of it for sure.

 

[Raven_BC]

Ok thanks for the advice. So I think boiling it will guarantee that it is sanitized. I'm not sure why starsan wouldn't work for a cloth bag as it would completely soak it.

 

[sniperd]

Boiling it works for sure. But I just dunk mine into my StarSan mix and use it.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I'm not sure why starsan wouldn't work for a cloth bag as it would completely soak it.

Not down to a microscopic level.

 

[TechFanMD]

Not down to a microscopic level.

That can be said for just about anything. I think being saturated in Star-San is more than 'good enough'.....we're sanitizing not sterilizing.

 

[RPh_Guy]

That can be said for just about anything. I think being saturated in Star-San is more than 'good enough'.....we're sanitizing not sterilizing.

It's my understanding that non-porous surfaces like metal, glass, and plastic (without scratches) can easily be fully cleaned and sanitized via chemical means.

 

[TechFanMD]

It's my understanding that non-porous surfaces like metal, glass, and plastic (without scratches) can easily be fully cleaned and sanitized via chemical means.

That is correct. I also believe that a short soak in Star San will adequately sanitize a cloth bag used for dry hopping AND keep it sanitized until it is in the fermenter.

Unless you are doing completely closed transfers from when your wort is down below pasteurization temps and never exposing your beer to ambient air, the difference between Star San and boiling the hop bag isn't much....but the Star San soaked bag will continue to be protected. Most of us are using our clean and 'sanitized' hands to handle sampling equipment, the hop bag, and other items all while breathing the air that our wort is exposed to (however short that time is) while microscopic dust is carrying bacteria and spores around. Our hands are pretty porous and full of crevices (fingernails) too.

Do you sanitize the hops package, then put on sterile/sanitized latex gloves to pick up the hop bag and put the hops in it?

I'd say the bag soaked in Star San will resist picking up additional nasties because it will continue sanitizing while it is wet with the star san, while the boiled bag is sterile only as long as it is hot.

Maybe the real answer is both - boiling will sterilize and Star San would provide protection during handling. But then we're dry-hopping into beer with alcohol already present, so it's probably best not to overthink it.

 

[MT's AZ Ale Haus]

Don't over think it, soak it in Star San, throw it in.

Relax and have a home brew[emoji482]

 

[RPh_Guy]

That is correct. I also believe that a short soak in Star San will adequately sanitize a cloth bag used for dry hopping AND keep it sanitized until it is in the fermenter.

Unless you are doing completely closed transfers from when your wort is down below pasteurization temps and never exposing your beer to ambient air, the difference between Star San and boiling the hop bag isn't much....but the Star San soaked bag will continue to be protected. Most of us are using our clean and 'sanitized' hands to handle sampling equipment, the hop bag, and other items all while breathing the air that our wort is exposed to (however short that time is) while microscopic dust is carrying bacteria and spores around. Our hands are pretty porous and full of crevices (fingernails) too.

Do you sanitize the hops package, then put on sterile/sanitized latex gloves to pick up the hop bag and put the hops in it?

I'd say the bag soaked in Star San will resist picking up additional nasties because it will continue sanitizing while it is wet with the star san, while the boiled bag is sterile only as long as it is hot.

Maybe the real answer is both - boiling will sterilize and Star San would provide protection during handling. But then we're dry-hopping into beer with alcohol already present, so it's probably best not to overthink it.

I think StarSan is potentially fine (totally agree with you), but it's not as good as boiling

RDWHAHB for sure.

From the standpoint of contamination risk:
Not touching the beer with your hands is better than touching the beer.
Closed transfer is better than open transfer.
Sanitizing things that may carry microbes into the beer does reduce contamination risk.

Brewers do get contaminations from dry hopping. Is it from the air? The hop bag? The hops themselves?

 

[hopjuice_71]

I think StarSan is potentially fine (totally agree with you), but it's not as good as boiling

RDWHAHB for sure.

From the standpoint of contamination risk:
Not touching the beer with your hands is better than touching the beer.
Closed transfer is better than open transfer.
Sanitizing things that may carry microbes into the beer does reduce contamination risk.

Brewers do get contaminations from dry hopping. Is it from the air? The hop bag? The hops themselves?

Well, I have to agree with RPh_Guy on this. Microbes are crafty little buggers that are really good at getting into places that sanitizers miss. They can't escape heat though. Boil for maximum peace of mind, though starsan will likely work just fine.

Cheers

 

[Jag75]

Boil it .......in starsan