wort storage

[subwyking]

just got done brewing. had about a quart and 1/2 of wort extra. decided i would store it for future yeast starters. is there anything special i should do to preserve it? right now it is in a sanitized container, sealed up, and in the fridge. anything else i should do?

 

[david_42]

Should be good. Some people like to bottle the extra, that way they can open enough for a starter without risking contamination.

 

[subwyking]

now thats not a bad idea. thanks david.

 

[Kaiser]

When bottling wort w/o using a pressure canner, there is the concern that some nasty stuff (botulism) can grow in there because it is not acidic enough to kill them. And they are not killed by 212F wort/water. This is what keeps me from doing this until I have a pressure cooker/canner.

I simply freeze my wort in plastic bags and boil it before using it as starter or gyle.

Kai

 

[Mindflux]

Yes, please use a pressure canner/cooker and seal it up that way. Botulism would be a bad way to go.

 

[subwyking]

can i bake it in the oven for like 20 minutes at a high temperature? i do not have a pressure cooker.

 

[Kaiser]

can i bake it in the oven for like 20 minutes at a high temperature? i do not have a pressure cooker.

No, because water boils at 212F under normal atmospheric pressure. The sugar in the wort will actually make it boil at a slightly higher temp, but not high enough.

As I said, freezing and boiling before use works very well for me. And if you don't take the lid off (watch out for boil-overs when boiling it with a lid), you can chill it overnight w/o worrying about geting germs into your starter.

Kai

 

[Janx]

I'd toss it if you don't have a pressure cooker. It isn't worth the worry. When you need a starter, make a fresh one with extract. Like Kai said, if you can freeze it, do that, but you'll still need to re-boil it. Wort just isn't expensive enough to hassle with IMHO.

Cheers

 

[Kaiser]

Wort just isn't expensive enough to hassle with IMHO.

I pay $10 for 3lb of DME. When I propagate yeast, I may easily use up to a galon of 1.040 wort wich is about 1lb of DME. That's why I keep the wort whenever I can (last running of the lauter, liquid left behind with the trub).

But yes, DME is the easiest to handle and store.

Kai

 

[subwyking]

1 lb of DME here is 4.50. im a frugal brewer and like to save money when i can. it sounds like i should invest 20 bucks and get a pressure cooker. then id be saving money in the long run.

 

[Janx]

If you can find a good pressure cooker for $20 you should definitely buy it! Good pressure cookers are expensive.

 

[digdan]

I ussually boil down my wort until its just enough. That way I'm not wasting any wort (just removing the excess water). Long boils(2+ hours) also reabsorb the protiens, making for a velvety body on the beer.

As for botulism, there are around 110 cases per year reported, and only 25% of those are food borne. In the case you actually do get botulism, you have an 8% chance of death. Those are lottery odds I would be more concerned on mold/mildew causing off flavors ( or killing your starter yeast). I just use DME and a littlebit of hops for my starters.

I would have to admit, if you did get botulism from your beer it would be hard to tell...

"The classic symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth..."

I would just as soon assumed I was drunk :cross:

 

[Walker]

I would have to admit, if you did get botulism from your beer it would be hard to tell...

"The classic symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth..."

I would just as soon assumed I was drunk :cross:

I think the only difference would be with the "difficulty swallowing" part. If anything, I have a tough time STOPPING the swallowing when I am good and drunk.

 

[GABrewboy]

Can I ask this though, is it okay to do what I did. And that is when I made my starter last time from DME, I made about a liter full of starter and divided it into 3 portions. One went into my current fermenting brew, the other 2 portions I put into those glass containers with the lockdown sealed lids and put in the fridge which is around 36 degrees or so to use for future uses. This is okay to do correct?

 

[Kaiser]

Can I ask this though, is it okay to do what I did. And that is when I made my starter last time from DME, I made about a liter full of starter and divided it into 3 portions. One went into my current fermenting brew, the other 2 portions I put into those glass containers with the lockdown sealed lids and put in the fridge which is around 36 degrees or so to use for future uses. This is okay to do correct?

probably, if they don't smell funny you will be fine. Just make sure you boil them first.

Kai

 

[GABrewboy]

Hmmm......well wouldn't boiling them kill the yeast?

 

[Kaiser]

Sorry, I misread your post. If you are cultuting yeast in there, you should not boil it (of couse) and it will keep just fine in the fridge. To my knowledge the yeast raises the acidity of the wort enough to keep out lots of the bacterias you are worried about when you are just storing wort w/o yeast.

Kai

 

[GABrewboy]

Cool......thanks Kai!!! I was a little confused there for a minute.....or drunk, or maybe both.........

 

[subwyking]

i found a 4 and 1/2 quart pressure cooker at wal-mart for 17.50 it says on the side it pressures up to 10 psi. is this enough to debotulize the wort?

 

[boo boo]

i found a 4 and 1/2 quart pressure cooker at wal-mart for 17.50 it says on the side it pressures up to 10 psi. is this enough to debotulize the wort?

A lot of sites on processing wort for canning suggest 15 psi so I really don't know if 10 minutes is good enough. Perhaps 10 psi at a longer time frame would be OK. Anyone else?

 

[Kaiser]

A lot of sites on processing wort for canning suggest 15 psi so I really don't know if 10 minutes is good enough. Perhaps 10 psi at a longer time frame would be OK. Anyone else?

That's what I read to and that's why I would say no. But I'm not an expert on this. However, this is a good price.

When I'm going to get a pressure cooker I will make sure it can also be used as a pressure canner and that I can also get some quart sized jars in there. But this will be more expensive.

Kai

 

[subwyking]

couldnt you just sanitize the jars, pressure cook the wort, then pour it in? the cooling wort will still create a vaccuum in the jar.

 

[m_f]

please have in mind this:
1) as mentioned boiled wort will reach 212 (plus a couple of degrees due to sugar). this is not enough to kill sporulated bacteria.
2) lupulized wort will help with some preventing some contaminations
3) refrigeration will do the same

so boiled (sanitized), lupulized wort will keep for some days in the fridge.

If you plan to store somewhere else, I think you need to autoclave it (preasure cooker) or maybe tyndalize (sp?) it. This last procedure consist of succesive boilings of the (closed container) several hours (days) appart in order to favor the germination of spores and then kill them. It is complicated and you need the correct sterilization scheme for what you are treating (wort in this case) I have no idea how it would be (but I've use it when canning peppers ).