Having had brewed with pecans before, you definitely don't want to add them directly to the fermentor as the oils in the nuts will obliterate any head retention in the final product. So I like your idea of toasting then adding to alcohol then adding the strained liquid.
As far as alcohol...
Really sorry to hear about the brewery!
Like most have already said, I would toss any and all plastic that was exposed to the flood waters. Any scratches on the plastic that were present before or happened during the flood now can harbor unwanted critters. As you are painfully aware, your...