safe to use home-grown hops in dry-hop

[LeftyRighty]

think about it. These home grown hops have been out in an unhealthy environment, exposed to all manner of air-born pollen, wild yeast, pollution, bird droppings, what-have-you. The only processing is drying and freeze-storage. But maybe the same could be said for commercial grown hops.

I only bring this up because my hops' trellis is a favorite roosting spot for birds, and the only cleansing occurs from rainfall. I don't have a problem with use in the boil, but in dry hop, is the alcohol, hops' bitters and yeast sufficent to protect against an infection or worse? Or am I overthinking this?

 

[mmb]

You're overthinking this. Hops are an agricultural product, grown on a farm and processed in massive barns. Chances are your homegrown hops are cleaner than anything you'll buy commercially because you're doing the whole process and homebrewers generally have a super high level of OCD about their ingredients, as your question shows.