# Hepatitis Wine



## Forever Wort (16/2/15)

So I may have used these recalled Hepatitis berries in a batch of supposed-to-be-Hepatitisless date and berry wine that has been fermenting for about a month and still crackling away in a stock pot out the back.

Any thoughts on who the guinea pig should be? And more seriously, will the bacteria survive fermentation, should I pasteurise in the bottle?


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## Airgead (16/2/15)

Hepatitis is a virus not a baccteria....as for whether it will survive fermentation... No idea... but unlikely.

If the batch dates aren't those in the recall you should be fine. If they are.... honestly not sure what I would do. Maybe have a chat to a medico about how hardy the virus is.


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## QldKev (16/2/15)

For a few $ in product, I don't think I would keep it. Chuck it and make a fresh batch. The $ spent will be long forgotten before a case of Hep A


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## JDW81 (16/2/15)

Are you vaccinated against Hep A?

I'd er on the side of caution myself and toss it. You can check the recall details, but I'd rather blow $50 worth of ingredients than risk getting the virus and the potential for hep A induced liver failure.

JD


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## technobabble66 (16/2/15)

Yeah check the batch numbers - you may be fine. 
The alcohol probably would've destroyed the virus. However it's obviously survived the freezing process so I don't know if I'd risk it. I'm also under the loose impression that alcohol has been proven to be not completely effective in sterilizing against viruses in medical settings (though that could be wrong). 
I'd be too paranoid every time I drink it. 

So damn disappointing after all that hard work, FW!!

I'd vote toss it. 

And don't buy Chinese/Chilean berries next time...


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## manticle (16/2/15)

Check with a medical professional.


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## Mardoo (16/2/15)

Uh, dude... Hep is no fun and not worth the risk. Check the batch number and if it's not the infected batch, drink up!


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## DJ_L3ThAL (16/2/15)

technobabble66 said:


> Yeah check the batch numbers - you may be fine.
> The alcohol probably would've destroyed the virus. However it's obviously survived the freezing process so I don't know if I'd risk it. I'm also under the loose impression that alcohol has been proven to be not completely effective in sterilizing against viruses in medical settings (though that could be wrong).
> 
> 
> And don't buy Chinese/Chilean berries next time...


You can't get local frozen berries at the supermarkets, all from China or South America from my shopping experience. Would love to know where I can get local frozen berries, preferably without the "fecal matter" that this recent Hep A batch in question had.


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## fraser_john (16/2/15)

Sounds like a Darwin Award waiting to hep-pen. Hahahahahah christ I need more coffee......


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## manticle (16/2/15)

I'd say you need less.


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## Yob (16/2/15)

Dodged a bullet there.. My raspberry RIS is berries from Costco, they had their hep a scare in 2013 but not this round as far as I can see


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## Weizguy (16/2/15)

I heard on my local news, that if you have any of these berries -DISCARD - regardless of expiry date.
I'd visit the shop manager and offer them a bottle, or an opportunity to refund.
I know which I'd be taking, given the choice, but maybe I'm old and not adventurous any longer.

If you boiled the berries, it should be OK.


How do I remove hepatitis A from my drinking water?
To kill or inactivate hepatitis A, bring your water to a rolling boil for one minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for three minutes) Water should then be allowed to cool, stored in a clean sanitized container with a tight cover, and refrigerated.


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## Forever Wort (16/2/15)

The berries were not boiled. I and my girlfriend have been vaccinated but I wanted to give a few bottles away. I could toss the batch but it cost about $80 (multiple packs of berries, a few kilograms of dates, sugars, yeast) so I am hesitant. 

Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to any batch numbers, packets etc. when I bought the berries a month ago. 

Thanks everyone for the advice.


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## sponge (16/2/15)

Nothing a little twinrix won't fix 

But in all seriousness, $80 vs possibility of hep A? I'd bite the bullet and toss it unfortunately.


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## RobW (16/2/15)

I work with a number of Hepatitis experts.
If you stand by I can ask them.


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## DJ_L3ThAL (16/2/15)

RobW are you a pimp?


Lol jks, sorry had to!


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## Bribie G (16/2/15)

Spread the good shit around...


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## Airgead (16/2/15)

Frozberries is where I get all my berries from. Mostly because they are just round the corner but also because they do try to source local fruit - 



> Where does our fruit originate from? We endeavour to buy Australian wherever possible. Our Mango Cheeks (Halves) and Puree are sourced from Northern Queensland. We have occasional supply of Australian Blueberries. However, due to harsh climatic conditions, very limited quantities of frozen berries and purees are available commercially in Australia. Our Boysenberries, for example, are sourced from lush growing regions in New Zealand and are the worlds best. Occasionally, we will buy Raspberries from Europe and, of course, Cranberries are not grown commercially in Australia and are imported from the USA


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## RobW (16/2/15)

> RobW are you a pimp?
> 
> 
> Lol jks, sorry had to!


No, but I have been considering a career change.


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## RobW (16/2/15)

My advice is:

1 The alcohol level in wine in insufficient to kill the virus (can survive >70%)

2 If the berries are not from the implicated batch then the chance of virus being present is extremely low

My source is happy to take it if you don't want it (C:


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## Yob (16/2/15)

RobW said:


> My advice is:
> 
> 1 The alcohol level in wine in insufficient to kill the virus (can survive >70%)
> 
> ...


Costco berries are unaffected... I'll be drinking mine


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## TimT (16/2/15)

Was wondering if anyone made any affected brews.

Everyone, go blackberrying! Here in Melbourne at least, all along Merri Creek you'll find bushes bursting with ripened berries. Only danger is if the bushes have been sprayed, and you can tell that by seeing large bunches of yellowing leaves.


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## klangers (16/2/15)

TimT said:


> Was wondering if anyone made any affected brews.
> 
> Everyone, go blackberrying! Here in Melbourne at least, all along Merri Creek you'll find bushes bursting with ripened berries. Only danger is if the bushes have been sprayed, and you can tell that by seeing large bunches of yellowing leaves.


I went blackberrying once and have the scars to prove it. My grandma did make a very nice pie from them though.


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## TimT (16/2/15)

Oh I've got a blackberry mead bubbling away now. Haven't done yet with them thar berries. I might make a porter or saison with berry additions.

All I can find on the net about the affected batch is that 'anything with a use by date before 11 November 2016' is being recalled.


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## justatad (16/2/15)

I'd give Robw's source half your batch for the info and if he doesn't get hep A then drink the rest. How can you lose ! :super:


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## TimT (16/2/15)

Here's the recall on the Health Department website, I was wrong about the date - any packets marked best before 22 November 2016 (not 11 November 2016 as I originally said).


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## HBHB (16/2/15)

Forever Wort said:


> So I may have used these recalled Hepatitis berries in a batch of supposed-to-be-Hepatitisless date and berry wine that has been fermenting for about a month and still crackling away in a stock pot out the back.
> 
> Any thoughts on who the guinea pig should be? And more seriously, will the bacteria survive fermentation, should I pasteurise in the bottle?


here's the thing, it's not whether the Hepatitis will survive the alcohol from fermentation.

The question is, do you want to be consuming someone's shit faeces. THAT is where the hepatitis came from.


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## wynnum1 (16/2/15)

They said that none of the berries tested positive to hepatitis A but there were cases of hepatitis A linked to berries .Previous tests on berries showed chemicals banned in Australia.


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## spog (16/2/15)

My Daughter made a berry smoothy last night ,as it turns out they are the 2nd batch that advice has been given to not use them.
Her Boyfriend had a drink and started gagging, there was a piece of cleaning cloth in the bag which ended up in the blender then in his mouth.
Photos have been taken and both bagged and put in he freezer.
My Daughter has been ringing the manufacturers ( Nannas) hot line all morning but it is backed up,both drank the mix but not all of it ,and they are both going to the doctor for advice and blood tests for recording,with follow up blood tests in the months to come .
We all here are ******* livid.


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## sponge (16/2/15)

All the best for your daughter and her BF spog. Fingers crossed nothing serious comes of it.

There is a fair bit of explaining to do by Patties..


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## takai (16/2/15)

Blergh, we have 3 packs of these berries in the freezer. All will be going for a refund, but that doesnt help you much. Essentially though the recall is that ANY berries are to be discarded/returned. 
There are no batch numbers on these, and as they have a 2 year expiry date they dont know when the contamination occurred.


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## TimT (16/2/15)

Sounds like you'd better chuck your brew out Forever Wort. If you can/if it's worth it, recycle it by putting it into homemade slug/snail traps for the garden: milk bottle, with little doors cut out on either side for the slugs to get in and out, and some beer at the base. The slugs will come in, attracted by the smells, and drown in the booze.


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## sponge (16/2/15)

I've been having frozen mixed berries (predominantly Nanna's) with my muesli for breakfast for the past 3 years.. looks like I'll be reverting to bananas.

Luckily I have had my Hep A & B shots for work a while back due to working in many treatment plants.


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## Dave70 (16/2/15)

I consume these ******* things by the handful almost daily by way of a breakfast / post training smoothie. Had my hep shots when plumbing but that was years ago. Like _years_ ago.

If my eyes begin to yellow and I'm forced into a beer hiatus , I can think of a few who will conclude, even if they do not say, 'oh right, the 'berries' made him crook'..

Jezuz.. I feel like I'm coming over all litigious and need to get my lawyer on the phone. Now I know how an American feels. 





{get my lawyer, not my layer}

{either way I suppose..}


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## sponge (16/2/15)

Dave70 said:


> If my eyes begin to yellow and I'm forced into a beer hiatus , I can think of a few who will conclude, even if they do not say, 'oh right, the 'berries' made him crook'..


A little OT, but after my spontaneous pneumothorax (air pocket in lung) a couple of weeks back, my grandfather-in-law said it was due to my drinking habits at family functions.

It gave me a good chuckle.


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## Airgead (16/2/15)

TimT said:


> The slugs will come in, attracted by the smells, and drown in the booze.


Or die of hepatitis...


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## Mr. No-Tip (16/2/15)

Dyson vacuums have a hepa filter. Maybe run it through that?


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## Nizmoose (16/2/15)

I love this thread, it shows how committed people are to their craft, "hmmmm this may have hepatitis in it, but gee it looks tasty, might check on ahb first it would be terrible to waste" like not even hepatitis can get in the way of thinking twice about tipping a batch :')


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## Mardoo (16/2/15)

http://youtu.be/Jv3l36jMfag


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## DJ_L3ThAL (16/2/15)

WTFDIJW??.......... but I loved it.


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## Yob (16/2/15)

Seems the mushrooms are also affected by something...


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## JDW81 (16/2/15)

Airgead said:


> Hepatitis is a virus not a baccteria....as for whether it will survive fermentation... No idea... but unlikely.


Correct you are, hepatitis A is a virus, however I'm not so sure fermentation will have much effect on it.

Hep A virus is shed from humans in the faeces in an inert/inactive form i.e. it is not alive (well no virus is really "alive", they are just bits of DNA/RNA that sneak their way into your cells and use their machinery to replicate). It is essentially dormant, and being dormant it is unaffected by things like freezing and probably fermentation. It is reactivated once it hits it's host (i.e. us).

I'm vaccinated, but I'll still be taking the couple of bags of nannas fruit I've got in the freezer back to woolies and getting my money back. I don't intent to test the efficacy of the vaccine.

JD


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## Kumamoto_Ken (16/2/15)

Yob said:


> Dodged a bullet there.. My raspberry RIS is berries from Costco, they had their hep a scare in 2013 but not this round as far as I can see


I'm in a similar boat. Added the fruit to my first ever raspberry wheat about a week ago.
SWMBO asked yesterday if they were Nannas...fortunately not, the local IGA only had Sara Lee frozen raspberries.


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## wynnum1 (17/2/15)

How do I know if I cooked my produce sufficiently?
Hepatitis A virus is killed by heating to an internal temperature of 185°F (85°C) for 1.5 minutes.


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## 2much2spend (17/2/15)

I was reading in the ABC news web page that the problem also went to the 'creative gourmet' brand to. That's what I buy!


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## Yob (17/2/15)

Off for a job fella


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## RobW (17/2/15)

Here's the Vic Health Department release 

View attachment CHO Health Alert_Frozen berries associated with Hepatitis A_16 February 2015.doc.pdf


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## Bridges (17/2/15)

klangers said:


> I went blackberrying once and have the scars to prove it. My grandma did make a very nice pie from them though.


MMMMmmm scar pie....


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## klangers (17/2/15)

Not to take away from the gravity of the situation, but speaking of ingesting poo here is a video on "traditional" Korean poo wine:

http://www.vice.com/video/how-to-make-faeces-wine


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## spog (17/2/15)

Bet it tastes like crap !


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## Grott (17/2/15)

Forever Wort said:


> I could toss the batch but it cost about $80


$80 vs possibly never being able to drink alcohol again, stuff the 80 bucks. I don't think your going to enjoy the wine anyway as your going to keep wondering if it is infected and waiting for any symptoms, no thanks.


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## jyo (17/2/15)

Mr. No-Tip said:


> Dyson vacuums have a hepa filter. Maybe run it through that?


Dyson's are expensive though. I'm a bit of a titis, so I bought a hoover.


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## Forever Wort (17/2/15)

I guess I should chuck it! But then, I do have enemies ...


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## wynnum1 (17/2/15)

grott said:


> $80 vs possibly never being able to drink alcohol again, stuff the 80 bucks. I don't think your going to enjoy the wine anyway as your going to keep wondering if it is infected and waiting for any symptoms, no thanks.


Get vaccinated for hep a and then it will be safe to drink.The vaccination is payed by your employer if there is a risk.


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## Dave70 (17/2/15)

I hate it when a homely sounding product turns nasty. 

Suppose 'Shit fingers' frozen berries doesn't have much of a ring to it though.


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## Kumamoto_Ken (17/2/15)

Dave70 said:


> I hate it when a homely sounding product turns nasty.
> 
> Suppose 'Shit fingers' frozen berries doesn't have much of a ring to it though.


OT- But the above made me fondly recall Roy and HG's Date Fingers


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## Dave70 (17/2/15)

Nizmoose said:


> I love this thread, it shows how committed people are to their craft, "hmmmm this may have hepatitis in it, but gee it looks tasty, might check on ahb first it would be terrible to waste" like not even hepatitis can get in the way of thinking twice about tipping a batch :')


It aint an easy thing to let go. 
I've got a SMASH pils made with Motueka that tastes like lemon / grapefruit punch. Lagering and time has done little to quell it's puckering ickyness. Was considering turfing it, but since I went to all the trouble of bottling it, well, you know..
Best consumed slightly above freezing.


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## wynnum1 (17/2/15)

What temperature are you storing at i think changes flavor quicker at higher temperature .


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## heyhey (17/2/15)

I'm vaccinated, I'll take it off your hands LOL

If I haven't caught anything from working in sewers, don't see how this would damage me


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## AndrewQLD (17/2/15)

Bribie G said:


> Spread the good shit around...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Getting ready for the new season hop plantings hey.


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## wynnum1 (17/2/15)

Chinese hops.


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## MartinOC (17/2/15)

For anyone with a large stash of these things & can't decide what do do.....Make Jam!!

I purged my folks' chest freezer (just as I was claiming it as my new Keezer :beerbang: ) & picked-up a swag of Nanna's berries.

I decided to turn the whole lot into a big batch of jam just as this recall hit, but since the virus is destroyed by heat, it's a no-brainer anyway.

I'm safe! Honestly, I AM safe - just ask the bloke I shared a needle with just last week....... h34r:


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## manticle (17/2/15)

Was that at sewing class?


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## Dave70 (17/2/15)

wynnum1 said:


> What temperature are you storing at i think changes flavor quicker at higher temperature .


True. 
There's a noticeable difference between the ones that were stored in the keezer, but also the ones that were stored under the house, which is a fairly constant cool temp even on hot days, and the bottles on the rack in the main, less cool garage. The warmer ones have definitely lost their tang quicker. 
Never thought I deliberately store a beer to tone the hops down, but here we are.


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## MartinOC (17/2/15)

manticle said:


> Was that at sewing class?


Ah...my OTHER hobby....'Don't talk about it much..people might get the wrong impression....


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## HBHB (17/2/15)

MartinOC said:


> I decided to turn the whole lot into a big batch of jam just as this recall hit, but since the virus is destroyed by heat, it's a no-brainer anyway.


So was the turd component medium rare or well done?


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## DJ_L3ThAL (17/2/15)

Martin, you better not be serving anything with Jam at the July BUMMOCK!!!


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## MartinOC (17/2/15)

HBHB said:


> So was the turd component medium rare or well done?


As much as I hate well done meat, it was appropriate in this case (I even had my old man on the phone asking questions about whether to turf the 3 jars of jam I gave them).



DJ_L3ThAL said:


> Martin, you better not be serving anything with Jam at the July BUMMOCK!!!


Sunday morning breakfast... 

'Cmon, man! "There are no known pathogens in beer" & you're worried about a jam that was boiled for 3 hours???


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## Exile (17/2/15)

Funky beer

https://vimeo.com/119831222


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## chemfish (17/2/15)

Assuming it was a bad batch of berries I will say two things

A) Hep A can survive a very long time (months to a year) in water and I wouldn't bet on beer killing it
B) Vaccines are not 100%, unless you have had your serology done to confirm immunity I wouldn't trust it
.
.
.
.
Happy drinking


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## HBHB (20/3/15)

For those intent on using Poo free produce in their beverages, there's a domestic alternative on the way.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victorian-grown-frozen-berries-to-hit-supermarket-shelves-in-wake-of-hepatitis-a-scare/story-fni0fit3-1227265310305


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