5

Last Saturday I bottled a batch while developing symptoms that by now seem like covid. Assuming the test comes back positive, should I throw the batch or is it safe for consumption?
And generally, is there any part of the brewing process where the beer can "catch" the virus and help spread it through consumption?

WildLAppers
  • 646
  • 3
  • 10

1 Answers1

2

Alcohol and the natural pH drop (acidity) from the fermentation process will kill any viruses. You cannot get sick from your beer... unless you drink way too much at one time, which is a different problem!

dmtaylor
  • 3,415
  • 1
  • 8
  • 21
  • 2
    is there enough alcohol? CDC apparently says to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60-95% https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hand-hygiene.html#references – Adam R. Grey Sep 13 '20 at 14:47
  • Good point. It's likely more a pH/acidity thing, so I have now edited to add "and the natural pH drop (acidity) from the fermentation process" to my answer above. – dmtaylor Sep 14 '20 at 12:52
  • During bottling the beer is already fully fermentated. Then the PH drop isn't really relevant at this point – WildLAppers Sep 14 '20 at 15:14
  • 1
    @WildLAppers, post-fermentation, the pH is already low enough that it doesn't matter, unless you do something stupid to mess it up like add way too much baking soda or something odd like that. – dmtaylor Sep 14 '20 at 16:55
  • 1
    At what pH is Coronavirus deemed ineffective? – brewchez Sep 17 '20 at 15:49
  • After some Googling.... Looks like pH of 3.0 will kill viruses. Beer pH isn't that low, so I guess that won't kill it after all. HOWEVER, several sources state that viruses need a host body or they will die in a matter of hours. So that might be a better answer. Any doctors in the house? No? Would you believe me even if I were a doctor? No? ;) – dmtaylor Sep 17 '20 at 20:48