Fermenting sauerkraut risk of contaminating beer equipment?

[rhys333]

Hey everyone,

I couldn't find a good forum for this topic so I'm posting here. I decided to try fermenting vegetables last week after watching Craig talk about it in last week's homebrew Wednesday. I understand lactobacillus develops in sauerkraut, and I'm wondering if this can transfer through the air, or easily through touch, to my beer-making equipment. Last thing I need is a lacto infection in my next IPA!

Thoughts on this guys? Am I good here or should I get the hazmat room built asap?

 

[ruralbrew]

As long as you aren't making the kraut in your bottling bucket I don't think there should be a problem.

That being said if there are no other pressing projects on the horizon a hazmat room that would eventually end up as a walk-in cooler might not be a bad idea.

 

[Yooper]

It's important to avoid cross-contamination. I wouldn't use the same equipment to ferment sauerkraut and cheese or veggies that I use to brew beer, and I try to keep them even on different floors of my house.

 

[burninator]

It's important to avoid cross-contamination. I wouldn't use the same equipment to ferment sauerkraut and cheese or veggies that I use to brew beer, and I try to keep them even on different floors of my house.

Yep. At least avoid having them on the same surface, but you're likely to be opening and closing your sauerkraut vessel during fermentation (at least I do), and you don't want any unnecessary proximity.

 

[rhys333]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Reason i posted... I came home after work today and my head almost snapped back from the sour milk smell meeting me at the door. Nobody else picked it up, but I'm a bit of a bloodhound where odors are concerned. I traced it right to the sauerkraut jar. Just got me wondering, if I can smell it way across the house, does it mean the stuff is inoculating everything inside? Paranoia most likely, but my usual open fermentation is definately off the cards for brew day this weekend!

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Reason i posted... I came home after work today and my head almost snapped back from the sour milk smell meeting me at the door. Nobody else picked it up, but I'm a bit of a bloodhound where odors are concerned. I traced it right to the sauerkraut jar. Just got me wondering, if I can smell it way across the house, does it mean the stuff is inoculating everything inside? Paranoia most likely, but my usual open fermentation is definately off the cards for brew day this weekend!

Yes, lactobacillus is everywhere. If you don't have an active sauerkraut or fermented veggies going, then there is probably less of an issue as long as you use proper sanitation. But with an active sauerkraut going, I'd be really cautious about keeping other fermenteds in the same area.

We're ideally not supposed to crush grain in the same area where we ferment, due to the contamination risk. Fermenting a lacto fermentation in the same area would increase that risk substantially.

 

[Fedora]

Great thread. I have been pondering the same thing as I have been wanting to get into saurcraut and kimchee as well, and am worried about cross contamination into my beer. I don't have anything useful to add but its a good question.

 

[jtratcliff]

I've had a couple lacto infections that I've come to believe is related to my sourdough bread making. I do stovetop BIAB in my kitchen. I now try
to schedule beer & bread batched appropriately