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Author Topic: sunlight, unfermented beer, and skunking...  (Read 1790 times)

Offline jamminbrew

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sunlight, unfermented beer, and skunking...
« on: November 13, 2011, 02:18:51 pm »
I know that exposure to direct sunlight will skunk a beer in as little as 1 minute, but what about unfermented beer, i.e. wort? I brew outdoors, and when using my IC, my wort is subjected to brief exposure to sunlight. I was wondering if this could skunk the beer before it fermented? I keep it covered as much as possible, but the lid on my kettle with the IC doesn't completely cover the wort. Am I being paranoid? Thanks...
Ben W
In caelo cerivisiae nil, hic igitur bibimus.

Offline jeffy

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Re: sunlight, unfermented beer, and skunking...
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2011, 03:14:46 pm »
I know that exposure to direct sunlight will skunk a beer in as little as 1 minute, but what about unfermented beer, i.e. wort? I brew outdoors, and when using my IC, my wort is subjected to brief exposure to sunlight. I was wondering if this could skunk the beer before it fermented? I keep it covered as much as possible, but the lid on my kettle with the IC doesn't completely cover the wort. Am I being paranoid? Thanks...
Ben W
Yes, you are being paranoid.  Ray Daniels wrote up an article in Zymurgy a while back that mentioned that light struck beers require riboflavin, which is a product of fermentation.  So unfermented wort is safe.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline jamminbrew

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Re: sunlight, unfermented beer, and skunking...
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2011, 04:25:17 pm »
Awesome, thanks!
In caelo cerivisiae nil, hic igitur bibimus.

Offline beer_crafter

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Re: sunlight, unfermented beer, and skunking...
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2011, 12:58:08 pm »
Phew... I was worried about this: