Real Wort Starter Idea

[ghpeel]

Hmm that article mentions that "Honey, corn syrup, and other sweeteners may contain spores but the spores cannot grow in a highly concentrated sugar solution..."

I wonder if it's possible to guard against botulism in canned wort by getting the gravity high enough, in addition too, NOT REPLACING, the high pressure boil.

 

[weirdboy]

What I did the other day was make a small BIAB batch in my rice cooker for the starter.

 

[bernerbrau]

I wonder if it's possible to guard against botulism in canned wort by getting the gravity high enough, in addition too, NOT REPLACING, the high pressure boil.

At that point you're probably making LME

 

[adrock430]

Where are you getting 6.5? According to wikipedia, Botulinum grows in a pH range of 4.8 - 7, not 6.5 and above:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum

And a google search for "botulinum pH" confirms this number.

The claims of botulism in actual beer are certainly alarmist. But unfermented wort isn't acidic enough to prevent the growth of botulism.

A 15-20 boil will not kill botulinum spores. Pressure cooking is the only simple means of raising wort to 250F in a home kitchen.

The google search did show below 5 can have activity, so this is me with egg on my face (although I did see 5.6 pH prevents terrestrial strains from growing, but safety first)

However, to the OPs question, hop compounds inhibit growth as well (http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6251461.html) It's a patent, but the evidence is laid out. So maybe a little hop in the starter, paired with an acidity can assuage any botulism concerns? I hop to prevent lacto, so it's a good addition regardless.

 

[bernerbrau]

However, to the OPs question, hop compounds inhibit growth as well (http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6251461.html) It's a patent, but the evidence is laid out. So maybe a little hop in the starter, paired with an acidity can assuage any botulism concerns? I hop to prevent lacto, so it's a good addition regardless.

If the only risk was a bad bowel movement or a week of vomiting, I'd say have at 'er. But the LD50 is measured in billionths of a gram. Only half a kg of pure botulinum toxin, administered directly, would be sufficient to wipe out half the world's population. I just wouldn't **** with it at all. Stick to the tried and true methods.