"People have died drinking homebrew..."

[SubjectB]

I recently met a fella who claimed that he has abandoned home brewing beer after being engaged in it for years. He went on to say that, "people have died from drinking home brewed beer infected with bacteria." He then added that home made wine is much safer due to it's higher alcohol content.

How true are any of his claims?

I've always thought that an infection would (a) prevent fermentation and you won't have beer in the first place, and (b) manifest as a strong, sour milk off-flavor, in which case you won't even drink it.

 

[Gonefishin]

Did he stop driving his car as well?

 

[Colorowdy]

Wrong.
It may taste like dead rhino rectum and give you the runs but not death.

 

[bajaedition]

does he eat chicken, how many guys have gotten salmonella from bad chicken?

how about taking airline flights?

Just saying

 

[brew2enjoy]

Never heard that one before. I guess we are doomed...

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[ShadyBrewer]

It can also make you go blind....oh wait


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[brewbama]

Bacteria? I thought that's what Star San is for.


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[soccerdad]

Oh death, where is thy sting?
~ Shakespeare via W. C. Fields

 

[bob1852]

Oh death, where is thy sting?
~ Shakespeare via W. C. Fields

Actually, 1st Corinthians 15:55.

Or maybe Ben Franklin

 

[ScottG58]

It's killing me . . . just might take another twenty-five years.

 

[Braufessor]

I am sure homebrew has killed some people, but I would be stunned if it was ever because of bacteria or infected beer. My guess is that the only homebrew related deaths are the result of drunk driving and chirrhosis of the Liver...... Store bought booze won't solve either of those two problems.

 

[Spookgolds]

You should've asked him if he was selling any gear. I mean, since he's already dead I bet he would've let it go cheap...

 

[Yooper]

He went on to say that, "people have died from drinking home brewed beer infected with bacteria."

Tell him, with a totally serious face, to name one. Just one, or to provide a link to a reputable news source.

Obviously the guy isn't a rocket surgeon D), so don't make it a hard question.

 

[soccerdad]

yer right AZ

Actually, 1st Corinthians

Shakespeare stole it for a sonnet
And Fields stole it for 'Never Give A Sucker An Even Break'

 

[PasbitinusBluinusRibbinus]

My guess is he made some awful beer and found the worlds best excuse for leaving the hobby.

 

[Kirkwooder]

My guess is that his wife found out how much that new _________ (fill in the blank) cost. lol

 

[GuldTuborg]

Too bad what he's suggesting is known to be impossible. His brews probably sucked.

 

[flyerdx]

I have read that infected home brew is fine. Due to the alcohol or ph level or something, can't remember the exact facts, that no Harmful bacteria can live in it. But it WILL make it taste like crap!

 

[smccarter]

it "killed" the person...

I really enjoy being "killed" by home brew...

Kill me now...

Kill me

NOW!!!!!!

Idiots make the rest of us look smart...

 

[LAHammer]

I think my beer is to die for. Is that the same thing?:cross:

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

I have read that infected home brew is fine. Due to the alcohol or ph level or something, can't remember the exact facts, that no Harmful bacteria can live in it. But it WILL make it taste like crap!

I take it you dont like sours? Because thats essentially "infected" beer.............delicious infected beer

 

[Hamaki]

He then added that home made wine is much safer due to it's higher alcohol content.

...so by extension, home made distilled spirits would be safer "still"?

 

[ktblunden]

I take it you dont like sours? Because thats essentially "infected" beer.............delicious infected beer

Purposely infected beers are delicious. Accidentally infected beers usually taste like ass.

But I would also challenge the guy to provide one instance of someone dying from bacteria in a home brew.

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[smccarter]

And so God begat the world, and then he begat beer upon the people who he begat the world to whom he began drinking the beer that he begat the beer onto.

Does that make sense?

Just brew the beer.... then drink the fukin beer... then get vuk'd up drinking the beer.. and sht the vuk up...

gawdddammmitttt!!!!!

 

[Nuggethead]

I recently met a fella who claimed that he has abandoned home brewing beer after being engaged in it for years. He went on to say that, "people have died from drinking home brewed beer infected with bacteria." He then added that home made wine is much safer due to it's higher alcohol content.

How true are any of his claims?

Maybe they died after drinking his beer, glad to hear he stopped brewing. Every man's got to know his limitations..

 

[smccarter]

And so God begat the world, and then he begat beer upon the people who he begat the world to whom he began drinking the beer that he begat the beer onto.

Does that make sense?

Just brew the beer.... then drink the fukin beer... then get vuk'd up drinking the beer.. and sht the vuk up...

gawdddammmitttt!!!!!

I'm so gawdamm funny.

 

[flars]

Could he have been reading Food Babe?

 

[619Brewer]

Another case of someone regurgitating something "they" say. "They" being any old person or source. "They" could be a complete ignoramus with a blog and nothing better to do. "They" could have been a 2 second sound byte he misheard or misunderstood.

I don't know where on earth he got the idea that infected beers can kill you or that homebrew of any kind other than that of an arsenic dryhopped IPA could kill you. But I DO know that he failed to do any critical thinking, research or...well, ANY thought at all on the matter.

But if this individual did anything it should be that he made you realize how much you should not listen to him and take anything further that comes out of his mouth as anything but pure caca.

Ultimately, this person most likely has the right to vote, sign contracts, buy firearms and all sorts of big boy stuff...HURRAY!

 

[MindenMan]

Two plus years ago, I hesitated about brewing due to my schooling freaking me out about bacteria and the like. When I was assured there are no human pathogens that grow in beer, I started brewing and nobody has ever gotten sick. Probably due to my rigorous attention to sanitation. MM-RPhT.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Probably due to my rigorous attention to sanitation.

That's what helps make it taste good, not what makes it safe to drink. It's the alchy and pH that makes it safe to drink.

 

[Beergnomes]

Purposely infected beers are delicious. Accidentally infected beers usually taste like ass.

But I would also challenge the guy to provide one instance of someone dying from bacteria in a home brew.

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The first purposely infected beer came from an accidentally infected beer but either way some of the best beers have coodies so I'll take my chances.

 

[biochemedic]

Repeat after me (again)... NOTHING. PATHOLOGIC. CAN. GROW. IN. BEER.

The owner of my LHBS has the following as his e-mail signature:

In wine, there is wisdom...
In beer, there is strength...
In water, there is bacteria...
You Decide!

 

[Beergnomes]

I recently met a fella who claimed that he has abandoned home brewing beer after being engaged in it for years. He went on to say that, "people have died from drinking home brewed beer infected with bacteria." He then added that home made wine is much safer due to it's higher alcohol content.



In the words of the immortal Bugs Bunny "what a maroon"

 

[zardozap]

Wrong.
It may taste like dead rhino rectum and give you the runs but not death.

You just may wish you had died instead afterwards.

 

[liquiditynerd]

Well, I did drink a bunch of homebrew and the next day at work I was in a room with no windows and some coworkers said they were about to die.....

 

[Puddlethumper]

Yup! Totally agree. Keep making home brew and drinking it and in another 100 years you'll be dead.

 

[troy2000]

Purposely infected beers are delicious. Accidentally infected beers usually taste like ass.

But I would also challenge the guy to provide one instance of someone dying from bacteria in a home brew.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Home Brew mobile app

Out of the half dozen batches I've brewed and bottled, I've had exactly one infected bottle... and it was delicious.

I thought about maybe saving the dregs and doing some experimenting, but unfortunately I didn't think about it until there were no dregs left.

 

[Bender]

Remember when I took that home wine-making course and I forgot how to drive?

-- Homer Simpson

 

[IvanBrew]

University of California, Davis Professor Charles Bamforth is quoted by Scientific American as stating that "pathogens will not grow in beer".

I seem to recall Charlie Papazian saying something similar in his book.

I also know that beer was long considered a safer beverage than water because of the long boil, hops, and alcohol involved in making it, and that was at a time in human history when the best brewers weren't nearly as well equipped or informed as many of the members of this forum are today...

I do agree that 100% of people who consume home-brew die.

Then again, so do 100% of people who live in a bubble, eat a vegan diet, and recycle their 1st urine of the day...

I'll stick to home-brew.

 

[bajaedition]

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I ish conshuminering a burnch of homesh brewds rish now
I er berives , er breives, er believesh that da guyshh is aalll wrongish
I am still ariveish, sheeesh wheresh issh thsast bashroomsh door. I needs ta makerish rooms fer morsh researxh.