Very first brew tucked into ferm fridge

[Stinger35]

Brewed up a Caribou Slobber extract kit from Northern Brewer.
Ran it as a full boil and followed the recipe easily enough.
While cleaning my kettle I got to thinking and realized I cut open the yeast packet with scissors I neglected to sanitize. How big a deal is this?

 

[Copbrew133]

I get a bit fanatical about sanitation. I figure i spent this much money on equipment and ingredients I might as well be as sanitary in my process as possible. That being said, stuff happens. Were the scissors filthy? If not youll probably be fine.

 

[zeg]

I'd put good money on your being fine.

I think I may have done the same on my first brew, though I probably sanitized the outside of the packet. I know for sure I used a wooden spoon to help my wort through a strainer. In theory that's a no-no, but it caused no problems.

I think that in general your chances of infection from mistakes involving clean, non-organic materials are lower than you might estimate from all the talk of infections in the books and on the websites. This is sensible: the only way to be sure is to be paranoid, and the cost of labor and materials is rather high.

But your story is an example of why paranoia pays off: mistakes are inevitable, and since the goal was to be more sanitary than strictly necessary, you have some room for mistakes. You *might* get an infection, sure, but to be fair you might have gotten one even if you did everything right.

So, in sum, chill, it's probably fine, and even if it's not there's nothing you can do now!

 

[HappyDrunk]

My scissors are straight NASTY, and I've done 5 batches with no infections. I also never sanitize bottle caps. Still no infections. Pretty sure you're fine.

 

[H-ost]

You're fine.

I also never sanitize bottle caps.

Playing with fire...

 

[HappyDrunk]

You're fine.



Playing with fire...

Indeed. No argument there. Don't have to worry now, as I'll probably be kegging everything since I bought the equipment. I think it's common knowledge you should, I was just saying I didn't (because I thought they were pre-sanitized for some reason) and it still worked fine. Just trying to put the OP's mind at ease.