UV Sterilization of Unhoped Wort

[HOBWI]

Okay, perhaps this is a crazy idea, but here 'tis.

I'm starting a very, very small micro and may end up doing production over the course of 2 days. I'll have the capability of producing more wort than I might need (e.g. 3 bbls when I only need one) for the batch I happen to be brewing or have fermentation capacity for that day. I have looked at so called "wort collection/storage vessels" made for use in BOPs which are used to store a "base wort" for use in subsequent smaller batches (which is what I intend to do). Contamination is obviously a big concern with this strategy. My thought is to produce unhopped wort, then run it through a thin film UV unit or place UV lights into the storage vessels in order to save the wort for 24 hrs or more.

What do you think? Anyone know of any research on the degradation of, or damage to, sweet wort from UV radiation? Anyone know how Granite City is getting away with shipping wort to far away locations without major contamination problems?

Page
House of Brews
Madison, WI

[crassbrauer]

UV sterilization won't work due to the particulate matter present in wort. It only works for clear water, really.

People generally ship wort by first adding hops, boiling it and then being very clean thereafter. It's not advisable for small operations. (Get some fermenters.)

[canyon]

wort stashing

You can stash unhopped wort satisfactorily. It is obviously risky. The key is hot packing your wort storage vessel. If it is only a barrel or two I use 1/2 barrel bung side kegs. Golden gates are my favorite for this job. I pack good clean kegs with just under boiling wort after preheating and then bung 'em up and flip them every three minutes or so 3 or 4 times to more or less equally heat them (with insulated leather gloves of course!) After an hour you can charge them with some clean co2 or hook up a sterile air filter to the gas valve. As they cool they draw a vacum so you need to deal with this or they'll draw air in from somewhere you don't want and increase the contamination risk. Make sure they aren't set to cool where someone can accidently burn themselves. Good luck!