Brewing when sick, bad idea?

[Sea]

Not the Flu or anything, just a bad head-cold. I'm thinking: aside from feeling cr*ppy and not having much energy, I'd hate to sneeze and ruin a batch! Course, if I told people the situation, there'd probably just be more for me!

Ever done it?

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Haven't actually brewed, but I've bottled and kegged numerous times. Something must be happening in OR...I got hit last week, SWMBO is fighting something, a bunch of her friends are ill, one of my office mates now has it...It sucks dude.

 

[grat5454]

You could just get a mask(I think they sell them at drug stores, or you could even just use some fabric tied around your face). This would keep you from sneezing into things. Otherwise, we are always covered in bacteria, so I don't see how being sick would make a difference.

 

[discgolfin]

Not the Flu or anything, just a bad head-cold. I'm thinking: aside from feeling cr*ppy and not having much energy, I'd hate to sneeze and ruin a batch! Course, if I told people the situation, there'd probably just be more for me!

Ever done it?

Well aside from sneezing..your mouth is loaded with bugs sick or not sick. So if u have a cold and sneeze or if u just sneeze u risk contamination..which will ruin your batch not make it only drinkable by u..LOL

J

 

[rocketman768]

Sneeze into it and see what happens. Never know...the flu or cold virus might make some tasty flavors hehe

 

[pjj2ba]

Well aside from sneezing..your mouth is loaded with bugs sick or not sick.
J

I'd only hesitate if I had some kind of bacterial infection, even then. Both flu and cold are viruses and have to live inside other cells to survive. They don't survive very long outside of the body. These viruses can't live in yeast, and boiling would take care of any that ended up in your wort - along with all of the other critters living in your mouth and nose.

If anything I'd be concerned about working around flames and boiling liquids while in a weakened condition, not any contamination issues

 

[discgolfin]

I'd only hesitate if I had some kind of bacterial infection, even then. Both flu and cold are viruses and have to live inside other cells to survive. They don't survive very long outside of the body. These viruses can't live in yeast, and boiling would take care of any that ended up in your wort - along with all of the other critters living in your mouth and nose.

If anything I'd be concerned about working around flames and boiling liquids while in a weakened condition, not any contamination issues

I would say this makes sense. I brew with a cold all the time. It doesnt change how I brew..I could snezze in the beer wether sick or not..Our mouths are loaded with more bacteria than any other pary of our body..so this is always a risk. Viruses will for sure die as soon as they leave the mouth.

Jay

 

[Dude]

I don't believe human pathogens could survive in a wort.

It would be fine to brew, in fact, if you are up to it, it would certainly do a body good to brew up a nice batch!!!!!!!!

 

[kenb]

I wouldn't worry about it until AFTER the boil. Don't sneeze or have any bacteria on your hands from wiping your face or whatever. The virus will not infect your beer, but any bacteria from your mouth transferred by sneezing or from your hands will likely infect your beer, sick or not. Only difference is by being sick you are more likely to sneeze or cough into your cooled wort or your hands and then your hands to your tools. So just be careful.

 

[BlackenedBrew]

Haven't actually brewed, but I've bottled and kegged numerous times. Something must be happening in OR...I got hit last week, SWMBO is fighting something, a bunch of her friends are ill, one of my office mates now has it...It sucks dude.

Yikes! You guys stay away from me, I don't want to get it! Hopefully I'm safe, I've been eating 3 - 4 oranges a day for the last two months.

Hope all of you guys feel better soon too! It sucks being sick.

 

[kenb]

Yikes! You guys stay away from me, I don't want to get it! Hopefully I'm safe, I've been eating 3 - 4 oranges a day for the last two months.

Hope all of you guys feel better soon too! It sucks being sick.

I do kiwi's. A little tiny kiwi packs more vitamin C than a large orange, and appears to have other nutrients as well that help the body fight viruses very effectively.

 

[TexLaw]

Beer doesn't catch a cold, so do not worry about it.


TL

 

[IrregularPulse]

3-4 oranges a daY!! That's crazy

 

[TexLaw]

It's no crazier than me drinking about a pint of OJ each morning. In fact, a lot more oranges go into that pint.


TL

 

[Dean Palmer]

Beer doesn't catch a cold, so do not worry about it.

TL

+1

Beer doesn't know the difference between the cold virus and your normal bacteria. Follow standard sanitation practices, and don't use the fermenter as a spitoon, and you'll be fine

 

[capcrnch]

Funny this came up, I'm currently battling the flu and was just thinking of this..
Everytime I feel crappy or think of brewing while sick, I think of Yooper's custom title "Ale's what cures ya!"...