Is the cleanliness of sugar not as important as everything else?

[markq]

I'm about to bottle my second ever batch (still not tried the first) and I've just received a bag of carbonation drops that were split open. Not knowing how they've been stored or when the packet bust open, I'm worried that any contamination in the packet could ruin every bottle.

I've seen several videos of different bottling techniques and nobody seems overly concerned about the cleanliness of their sugar, anything they mix it in or touch it with, yet during the initial brew I'm told I even have to sterilise the scissors I cut the yeast sachet with. What's the difference in the need to be sterile if there is any? What would others do? By the way I have regular sugar to, but no guarantee that stray coffee spoons etc haven't contaminated that.

Please excuse the newbie question!

 

[Drunkula]

Well sugar is anti-bacterial and the pH of the beer once its finished makes chances of it getting an infection much less than right at the start when it's full of yeast food.

I boil my sugar solution to batch prime but that's mostly so it mixes in easily. I still feel icky when I use sugar or carb drops, mind.

 

[terrym]

First its completely ott in my view to sterilise the scissors to cut open a packet of yeast, provided the scissors are clean and dry.
The question of whether you use the carb drops is different. If you know when it split and where its been since then will enable you to decide whether you have confidence to use them as they come. If in doubt either chuck them or use them to make up a syrup with boiling water and batch prime.
I only use table sugar to prime. But I keep my own stock exclusively for brewing. I suggest you consider doing the same then you know its good to go.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

First its completely ott in my view to sterilise the scissors to cut open a packet of yeast

lol sometimes I open the sachet with my teeth.
Sterilising the scissors?! What the hell for??

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

First its completely ott in my view to sterilise the scissors to cut open a packet of yeast, provided the scissors are clean and dry.

I always spray the yeast pack with chemsan but only because I try so hard to shake every last bit of yeast out of the pack I know I’m going to accidentally chuck it in the FV one day.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

I always spray the yeast pack with chemsan

Hahahahaha that’s so wierd

 

[MyQul]

Well sugar is anti-bacterial and the pH of the beer once its finished makes chances of it getting an infection much less than right at the start when it's full of yeast food.

That's interesting. I didnt know that. Perhaps it explains why when I bulk prime and just stir the priming sugar in a bit of water then just chuck it into the beer, I've never had an infection

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

I suppose considering it’s used to preserve things it must be anti bacterial really

 

[MyQul]

lol sometimes I open the sachet with my teeth.
Sterilising the scissors?! What the hell for??

If you look across the interwebs about guides for using dried yeast this is quite common advice. Never bother to do it myself though

 

[markq]

Thanks everybody. I decided to use sugar, but going straight from the primary fermenter to the bottles, had a (somewhat predictable) nightmare trying to get the right amount of sugar in each bottle. Ended up lashing in the drops in a flap, which by this time where also stuck together. God knows!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I have never sterilised my crown caps and have never had an issue. I never sterilise the teaspoon or the funnel I use to prime but I do sterilise the bottles.

 

[An Ankoù]

lol sometimes I open the sachet with my teeth.
Sterilising the scissors?! What the hell for??

I keep my great granny's old dentures in a tub of Milton just for that very purpose.

 

[JonBrew]

Hahahahaha that’s so wierd

Depends what you're putting into it and what you expect to get out of it. If a batch of beer's costing me between 20-30 quid, and I've paid a tenner for a pouch of top quality yeast, I'll definitely be sanitising the pack and the scissors I use to open it. Makes no sense not to in my books.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

Lol ok, I was exaggerating a tad with the teeth. But I do just rip them open and chuck them in. I mean, it’s not like I’ve been in the garden first - mud all over my hands, or I’ve licked my finger, gone right in there with it get all the little bits out Like it’s the bottom of a dib dab packet (you know, with the sherbet and the lollipop) or whatever lol. It’s literally rip, open with one hand, shake it in. But seriously I never even thought to go to those lengths, never had a problem.

 

[An Ankoù]

Lol ok, I was exaggerating a tad with the teeth. But I do just rip them open and chuck them in. I mean, it’s not like I’ve been in the garden first - mud all over my hands, or I’ve licked my finger, gone right in there with it get all the little bits out Like it’s the bottom of a dib dab packet (you know, with the sherbet and the lollipop) or whatever lol. It’s literally rip, open with one hand, shake it in. But seriously I never even thought to go to those lengths, never had a problem.

And how do you know if your sanitiser is contaminated anyway?

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

And how do you know if your sanitiser is contaminated anyway?

Dude if there’s anything living in that little tub of powdered hell it deserves nowt but respect lol. That stuff is evil as sin. Tastes bloody awful diluted as well.

Lol my friend once opened a tub in my brew cupboard and took a big sniff of it.
Campden tablets, poor guy.

 

[Tony Palmer]

Should not be a problem, though sugar can pick up unwanted taints though don't worry about coffee drops. The alcohol also inhibits bug growth. If added during the main fermentation then the mere act of fermentation helps clean up the product.

 

[dwhite60]

Sugar is like honey, they're both very hygroscopic. They tend to pull the moisture out of anything that lands on them.

Some stuff will live on honey, but it isn't real happy. Botulism bacteria in particular. This is why you don't give raw honey to newborns. Average adult can handle the bacteria. Newborn can't.