[Slowbrew]

We live in the most sterile world ever in history. this would have been really common the farther you go back in time.

The obsession with cleanliness has been proposed as the reason why allergies are at an all-time high. We are wiping out all kinds of relatively harmless microbes that used to exist in our environment that trained the immune system starting at birth.  Allergies are the result the immune system gone haywire.

I've read that in several different study summaries too. 

In the same vein: we always told our kids "go outside and play, dirt's good for you.  It makes you smarter."  It was just a joke until one day I came across a series of studies that indicated consuming soil and the accompanying microbes did, in fact, seem to have a positive effect on general intelligence testing.

Another "old wives tale" that may have a kernel of truth in it. 

Paul

[Wilbur]

We live in the most sterile world ever in history. this would have been really common the farther you go back in time.

The obsession with cleanliness has been proposed as the reason why allergies are at an all-time high. We are wiping out all kinds of relatively harmless microbes that used to exist in our environment that trained the immune system starting at birth.  Allergies are the result the immune system gone haywire.

I've read that in several different study summaries too. 

In the same vein: we always told our kids "go outside and play, dirt's good for you.  It makes you smarter."  It was just a joke until one day I came across a series of studies that indicated consuming soil and the accompanying microbes did, in fact, seem to have a positive effect on general intelligence testing.

Another "old wives tale" that may have a kernel of truth in it. 

Paul

Maybe, on the other hand it took a long time to care about pollution. People had different standards for alcohol consumption. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone just felt awful all the time and thought it was normal.

[Tummydoc]

Grain weevils are a source of yeast nutrient! If you get an infestation, the easiest way to kill them is to place the grain in a bucket or clean garbage can and direct a blow off tube from a ferment into the can. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and will suffocate them. If you keg or weld, tanked gas is faster. Placing the grains in a freezer also works.

[narvin]

Why is the shop owner only sneezing into the uncrushed grain, but then picking his nose into the DME?  If anything I’d pick my nose into the grain because the kernels and husks would hide boogers a lot better.  Plus, everyone at the shop who is shopping is opening the bins and scooping their own grain, but the DME is only getting repackaged once.  I’m sure spiders, boogers, loogies, piss, turds, blood, other fluids have all fallen in the uncrushed grain sold by the pound.  You wouldn’t believe the number of times that I was stabbed and had a bowel accident while fighting a head cold at the LHBS!

[goose]

Are you brewing with DME or making maltec milkshakes? First example gets boiled, second does not.

Let me give you some of my DME, I'll be sure to cough on it, spit in it, pick my nose it, sneeze on it, you can brew with that and then I'll watch as you drink the beer.  That's cool if you're ok with that.

 

I assume you are just jacking up the amps here to make a point, but if not...maybe choosing a different LHBS would be in your best interests??  I can understand some skepticism, but what you are describing is borderline criminal.

I agree with Megary here.   If you don't like how your LHBS packages its DME, just get it from another source.  I get my DME from my LHBS in Akron, Ohio.  They in turn get it from L. D. Carlson which is a short drive away in Kent, Ohio.  The DME that my LHBS sells is repackaged in one and three pound lots by L.D. Carlson in heat sealed plastic bags.
Maybe you could inquire at your LHBS if they would consider changing their packaging methods to heat sealed bags for your piece of mind.  I personally don't see a problem with their method (I use a zip lock bags to store my opened bags of DME to prevent moisture ingress and have been doing this for years).