A winemaker's view on sterilisation ...

[Cidermaker]

Hi All,

I'm new to brewing, but an old hand at wine- and cider-making, and it seems to me that brewing involves a lot more sterilisation than winemaking. When I make wine (or cider), I crush the fruit, add the appropriate S02 in the form of Cambden tabs, then 24h later, inocculate with yeast. I clean my kit with Camden tabs dissolved in tap water. Any brewers got a view on this for beer-making? Maybe the much lower pH of apple and grape juice keeps the microbes under control.

Kind regards.

[delboy]

Hi All,

I'm new to brewing, but an old hand at wine- and cider-making, and it seems to me that brewing involves a lot more sterilisation than winemaking. When I make wine (or cider), I crush the fruit, add the appropriate S02 in the form of Cambden tabs, then 24h later, inocculate with yeast. I clean my kit with Camden tabs dissolved in tap water. Any brewers got a view on this for beer-making? Maybe the much lower pH of apple and grape juice keeps the microbes under control.

Kind regards.

That is certainly one main difference the other is that as a growth medium the nutrient and nitrogen rich malt extract is much much more conducive to bacterial growth than is fruit jiuce which is lacking in a number of nutrients.

[yogester]

The higher alcohol levels are also a big factor

[Trunky]