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Canning Wort

PetenNewburg

Grandmaster Brewer
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  When canning wort do I need to use a pressure cooker or is a simple water bath adequate?  I have equipment for both.  If pressure cooking is required, how much time at what temperature and pressure setting is required?
 
Not a silly question!  The idea is to have sterile wort for the purpose of creating a starter, usually done a day or two prior to brewing.  By canning several jars of say a Pilsner or a Stout wort ahead of time, the correct food for the yeast would be ready to make your yeast starter.  That way a proper amout of active yeast is ready to pitch.
 
I think I found the answer on another home brew site.  Waterbath canning is okay IF you refrigerate the cans.  Pressure cooking is required to kill all forms of botulism for room temperature storage.  The recommended process is 15 - 20 minutes @ 15 psi for a low gravity starter.  30 minutes for a starter over 1.050, and longer for higher gravity starters.  Higher gravity starters can easily be diluted saving the number of jars requiring canning.

  Jump in and correct me if I'm wrong!!
 
I read that it depends on what you're canning.  Acidic foods such as fruits and beer wort, can be done in regular pots with boiling water/steam.  I would think a brew pot with a metal false bottom would be perfect.

Non-acidic food (vegetables) require the higher temps of steam in a pressure cooker to kill everything. 

Having to refrigerate everything would kind of defeat the purpose of canning, no?  Back when people did not have dependable (or any?) fridges, they canned for the winter and stored in root cellars or pantries.
 
Maltlicker your right on the money!  But even today with modern appliances, canning is a way of life!  Directly across from my basement freezer are several dozen shelves loaded with homemade salsas, chipoltle, catsup, stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, chutney's, hot pepper slices, pear sauce, apple sauce, apple butter, pear butter, pears, apple slices, apple pie filling, peaches, venison, stripped bass and lots more!  None of it will get freezer burn.  If done properly it will last years.  The venison canned 3 years ago is just as good as the day it was canned!  It just melts in your mouth, almost like candy!
  So canning wort whether for making starters, fruit base worts or ? would be a common sense addition to the "pantry"!  Using the false bottom is a good idea to keep the jars off the bottom of the pot!
 
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