Sanitizing lavender

[Pittock]

Hi everyone,
I'm brewing mango and lavender sour and I decided to add dried lavender flowers on last few days of fermentation, but I struggle to come up with a way to sanitize it. Best method I could think of is soaking them in vodka for few minutes. Do you have any better ideas? Or should I just risk it and not sanitize it at all?

 

[AlexKay]

Other options would be to make a tincture (soak it in vodka for rather more than a few minutes) or a tea (steep it in water near boiling). Since lavender tea is a thing, I'd guess that hot extraction doesn't pull out any undesirable flavors. I'd make the tea, taste it, and decide from there.

 

[TyTanium]

Good recommendations above. The lighter essential oils in lavender (monoterpenes) are delicate so you'd lose some if you add heat.

If it were me I'd just toss it in. The yeast & ABV in your beer will protect you, and, lavender, like hops, is loaded with essential oils that will protect it.

 

[Pittock]

Thanks guys for the suggestions! I'll probably make a lavender tea.

 

[McMullan]

The ethanol and lower pH are going to help prevent any potential lavender borne infective agents establishing. No need to sanitise it before adding. To be honest, as a sour, the beer has already been infected, ecologically speaking. No need to worry.

 

[mashpaddled]

I wouldn't be much concerned to begin with but in a sour beer wouldn't even waste time doing anything.