Beer Forum

Brewing my first batch and accidentally dropped the whole dry yeast packet in the wort. Is that gonna contaminate my brew?!?

did you sanitize the pack like a good little boy?

snowcapt wrote:did you sanitize the pack like a good little boy?

I sanitized everything. I wasn't planning on putting the pack in the wort so there was not need to sanitize it. What you think?

Maybe. If the pack wasn't sanitized (did you pour the yeast in, or is it unopened?), then worst case scenario it has germies from your hands and every other person to pick it up in the homebrew shop, as well as everyone from the yeast production facility to there the distributor. All of which didn't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Not to mention all the wild yeast and bacteria that settled out on the packet.

Most likely, you will be fine. Perhaps you may want to drink young if you think there may be little beasties that will change the character over time, but even when there is contamination, you are putting in way more of the good guys and they generally are able to establish a foothold and make a beer with the characteristics that you were planning on, at least in the short term.

McDego wrote:

snowcapt wrote:did you sanitize the pack like a good little boy?

I sanitized everything. I wasn't planning on putting the pack in the wort so there was not need to sanitize it. What you think?

Yeah, I realize that you didn't want to put the pack in, but like spiderwrangler said, lots of contamination points along the way. I always sanitize the packs I use, simply for the fact that there will be contact. I sanitize the scissors that I use, too. I don't want to take any chances, and it is a way to be sure that I wont be infecting my batch by adding some festering ( I noticed you like that word alot, spider! ) contaminants from who knows where.

Ick. Festering makes me think of a splinter that has been in your hand for so long that it starts filling up with pus, and then it oozes out a mixture of pus and dissolved wood fibers.

spiderwrangler wrote:Maybe. If the pack wasn't sanitized (did you pour the yeast in, or is it unopened?), then worst case scenario it has germies from your hands and every other person to pick it up in the homebrew shop, as well as everyone from the yeast production facility to there the distributor. All of which didn't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Not to mention all the wild yeast and bacteria that settled out on the packet.

What happened was that I poured the whole packet in and I gave it one last flick w/ my other hand and it fell outta my hand and laned on the small foam that had occured.
Thanks for the info. Now, let us pray that I didn't messed the whole thing up! I'm excited 'bout my first brew.
Would there be a way to tell if it has gone bad? Rt now it's in my primary bucket, then on Sunday I'm putting it in my secondary carboy.

Another reason to always rehydrate your yeast rather than sprinkling in on top! Likely any contamination issues that do exist won't show up until it's in the packaging...