I canned 3 quart jars of unboiled wort

[reeberom]

Sanitized and canned, see any issues with it? Didn't boil it, straight from the mash tun. I figured it would be good for a yeast starter. Anyone try this with any success?

 

[Poobah58]

If you don't boil it you're just asking for trouble!

 

[atoughram]

If you used a pressure cooker to can them, it shouldn't be a problem. A boiling water canner might not get hot enough - if they start to ferment, you will know.

 

[reeberom]

I definitely did not boil it, but it sat in a boiling canner for 20 or so minutes. They seem sealed. Definitely don't think I'll use them as a starter then. Thanks for the input.

 

[mliptack]

I typically PC or Boil the jars, about 2-4 at a time.

Recently I changed my process (for efficiency) and cooked up a 3+ gal. batch. I dumped them out today after about half of them had a slightly white scum at the liquid line, and had a smell that was off. All jars still had an indented lid, and had the typical "whoosh" sound when peeling away the lid. About half smelled fine. But I tossed them all.

Looking to buy a bigger PC to get a dozen or so jars at a time.

 

[Calder]

No boil - not sure I would trust it.

Me, I just boil the wort, pour into mason jars, place on lid, invert to sanitize lid, and let cool. Store in fridge. I know you are supposed to use a pressure cooker, but I figure the boiling has killed 99.99% of anything in there, the boiling wort will sanitize the jars, and keeping it in the fridge will prevent anything from growing, in the unlikely event there is anything nasty in there. It is a lot easier and quicker than using a PC.

 

[reeberom]

If you used a pressure cooker to can them, it shouldn't be a problem. A boiling water canner might not get hot enough - if they start to ferment, you will know.

Off subject, but I was stationed on Whidbey Island. Turned 21 in WA, learned about good beer, and wish I would have stayed. Left when I was 26. Moved to corntown Il. Biggest regret ever.

 

[brewguyver]

I bring mine just to a boil and then pressure can at 15 psi for 20 minutes or so. It doesn't take that much more time, and i can keep them indefinitely.

The PC route is most important when you're doing bottle dregs and the like - the yeast isn't strong enough to out compete the baddies yet.

 

[atoughram]

Off subject, but I was stationed on Whidbey Island. Turned 21 in WA, learned about good beer, and wish I would have stayed. Left when I was 26. Moved to corntown Il. Biggest regret ever.

Ahh... Whidbey NAS... Work on any Growlers there?

Yes, plenty of good beer around here, but I think Oregon folks have a better selection.

Boeing will be hiring composite mechanics in the near future for a new wing plant in Everett. There's a chance to come back!

Now returning to the previously scheduled thread...

 

[andrewmaixner]

Just check a pasteurization time table. There's a fair chance you pasteurized it, if the entire jar was heated up:

If you aren't going to refrigerate and use it soon, you probably should "boiling-water" treat it though.


Edit: I looked up the shelf-stability level for non-pressure canned sugar solutions, and it's about 69% by mass to prevent any chance of bolulism. So freeze it to store.

 

[cjgenever]

It's low acid. You MUST treat it as such and can it properly. Botulism is rare but deadly. YOU CAN NOT USE A WATER BATH CANNING METHOD unless you boil it for ten min after opening the can. This will denature all botulism toxin. If I am not canning it then I simply freeze it. You want to get it processed or frozen fast to avoid souring. It doesn't hurt the starter, but I like to taste the decanted beer for possible infection flavors and a sour wort makes that impossible.

 

[cjgenever]

No boil - not sure I would trust it.

Me, I just boil the wort, pour into mason jars, place on lid, invert to sanitize lid, and let cool. Store in fridge. I know you are supposed to use a pressure cooker, but I figure the boiling has killed 99.99% of anything in there, the boiling wort will sanitize the jars, and keeping it in the fridge will prevent anything from growing, in the unlikely event there is anything nasty in there. It is a lot easier and quicker than using a PC.

This works because the botulism spores don't work much at near freezing, but can be dangerous if the storage time is too long. I wouldn't hesitate to use such wort after six or eight weeks

 

[Calder]

I looked up the shelf-stability level for non-pressure canned sugar solutions, and it's about 69% by mass to prevent any chance of bolulism. So freeze it to store.

I believe (but someone may correct me) that you need to be above 40 for botulism toxins to be created.

This works because the botulism spores don't work much at near freezing, but can be dangerous if the storage time is too long. I wouldn't hesitate to use such wort after six or eight weeks

It goes pretty quick

 

[Phunhog]

No boil - not sure I would trust it.

Me, I just boil the wort, pour into mason jars, place on lid, invert to sanitize lid, and let cool. Store in fridge. I know you are supposed to use a pressure cooker, but I figure the boiling has killed 99.99% of anything in there, the boiling wort will sanitize the jars, and keeping it in the fridge will prevent anything from growing, in the unlikely event there is anything nasty in there. It is a lot easier and quicker than using a PC.

I think I am going to try this next brew day! All I am looking for though is too save some money on DME. My plan is to save some of the first runnings(mason jar)...which are usually in the 1.070 range. Take the wort and freeze it. When I need to make a starter I would thaw out the wort and dilute to my starter OG and BOIL like normal. Any problems with this process?

 

[catdaddy66]

If you don't boil it you're just asking for trouble!

I don't think he meant that he wouldn't boil it when needed, just for storage. I do this a lot and then boil before using for starter wort. If I read it wrong and the OP does NOT boil before use I would definitely not advise that.

I actually adjust my mash thickness to 1.4 qts/lb to get starter wort.

 

[reeberom]

Ahh... Whidbey NAS... Work on any Growlers there?



Yes, plenty of good beer around here, but I think Oregon folks have a better selection.



Boeing will be hiring composite mechanics in the near future for a new wing plant in Everett. There's a chance to come back!



Now returning to the previously scheduled thread...

P-3's. I'll check into it. Thanks for the heads up!!

 

[reeberom]

I think I am going to try this next brew day! All I am looking for though is too save some money on DME. My plan is to save some of the first runnings(mason jar)...which are usually in the 1.070 range. Take the wort and freeze it. When I need to make a starter I would thaw out the wort and dilute to my starter OG and BOIL like normal. Any problems with this process?

That's exactly what I was thinking! Or saving a few quarts til I can do a small batch. Boil, add hops, yeast and quick brewing. And it's still all grain.

 

[reeberom]

That's what I was thinking.