Mice tainted grain sack?

[moreb33rplz]

Moved my unopened 55 lb sack of MO today, and lo and behold, a small pile of chewed up grain and mouse turds on the ground. There is a hole maybe 1 cm square a few inches up the side of the sack.

I don't think they actually got in the bag, so I was just going to scoop the grain into some buckets and pretend it never happened. Any microbiologists out there want to confirm I won't get Hanta virus?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Where do you live? That is a pretty good predictor of haunta. The recommended treatment of possible haunts situations is a bleach mixture in a spray bottle. Spray it on the affected area and it will kill the virus almost immediately. Also, the virus cannot survive the light. So if it is a well lit area it won't be around.

 

[ruger988]

As much as that grain is going to go through before it reaches your glass.... I wouldn't be to concerned. Wouldn't advise using the "chewed up grain and mouse turds" though, haha.

 

[northcal]

Sounds good to go to me. Relax, have a HB...

 

[moreb33rplz]

I'm in new england.

Yeah, having not brewed a single batch with this bag yet, there would have to be a dead, rotting carcass in the bag for me to not brew with it.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Nice. I'd sacrifice a few extra pounds right around the mouse playground and then get on with brewing! I'm brewing a mostly maris beer tomorrow and after I read this I went and checked my grain room to make sure I didn't have any mice living in my grain!

 

[Renoun]

Hantavirus is acquired by inhalation if urine/feces/etc. and isn't going to affect you if you mash some contaminated grain. Wear a dust mask, avoid stirring up dust (clean with wet wipes or use a HEPA vacuum), and you should be fine.

 

[MindenMan]

I don't know if I would even use that grain as mice urine and feces are not anything I would risk having in my wort. Boiled or not, I would be wary. But, the FDA has very "lenient " rules when it comes to how many ppm of urine, feces, mouse hair etc., are allowed to be in your canned soup. I wonder if they have "rules" about bulk grain?

 

[Thedutchtouch]

Pretty much all grain has some level of mouse/rat urine, bug parts, and all manner of fun stuff on it, luckily the boil kills pretty much everything.

 

[processhead]

If you are squeamish and it makes you feel better, don't use it.

Having said that, you might not want to ever eat or drink any grain products ever again, since the sanitation standards in the brewing/ baking raw materials industry are not that stringent.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Yum! Three Blind Mice IPA


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