Brewing Without Sulfites?

[scottc1178]

I've googled this a bit, but haven't been able to find a definitive answer, there is a bit of conflicting and ambiguous info out there.

does anyone know how to safely brew beer for people with a sulfite alergy and which ingredients are to be avoided?

it seems my brother has gotten himself a sulfite alergy, and has had some pretty scary reactions (leading towards anaphilaxus) to a couple of craft beers we've tried around town, and to a dark lager fresh wort that I put on a while back. researching a bit tells me that irish moss and portofloc etc might be the culprit as they contain or create sulfites. so I've stopped using them, thinking this would solve the problem. I did one AG brew of tony's LC bright ale clone with out them, and he was able to drink it with no consequence, we thought that was the end of the story. but recently I put down a tripel karmeliet clone (once again with no irish moss etc) gave him a taste of the wort which gave him a mild (luckily) reaction,

it seems that some yeasts might also be responsible for creating sulfites too? and perhaps the wyeast belgian abbey used in the above beer creates more sulfites than others??

I should also mention that he has never had any reaction to any commercial beer. the only other thing that sends him into a sneezing / breathless fit is champagne

just wondering if anyone else is in this boat, and have you found a list of ingredients / yeasts / malts to avoid. or conversely a list that are safe to use.



cheers
Scott

 

[mika]

What sanitiser are you using ?

Sulfite's in Wine/Champagne is how they deal with the bugs (no boil method), so almost unavoidable in that situation I would imagine.

Surprised the craft beer's are throwing up sulfite's though ?

 

[stux]

I suspect his allergy is not sulphites, or at least not his only one

What sanitizer are you using? What yeasts?

 

[scottc1178]

good point,

the sanitiser I've been using is this one:

http://www.brewerschoice.com.au/online-sho...g/brew-san.html

and upon looking at it it says it contains "suphonic acid"... whether that's a typo or not, maybe it sulphonic?

maybe I should start rinsing the sanitiser out with boiling water?

the yeasts have been many and varied, but since he had a reaction the first time, he's pretty much stayed clear of my beer, and I can't remember which one set him off originally, but the most recent one was in a belgian tripel and i think it was belgian abbey 1214.

we've pretty much figured that he has to avoid craft beer at bars etc, just because you never know the brewers exact brewing (or sanitising) practices, but I'm hoping I can at least figure out how to make mine safe, to spare him a life of being doomed to megaswill (while everyone else is enjoying a real beer)


cheers
scott

 

[sp0rk]

Try switching to Iodophor for your sanitiser
I would have suggested StarSan, but research suggests it has sulfites in it too

 

[scottc1178]

cheers Spork, will do,

however I just remembered the only thing that contradicts the sanitiser theory, is that before i got into AG, I had kegged a few extract brews ( in which i used my regular sanitiser) and he was fine with them.... which makes me think it's something specific to AG, or at least yeasts... maybe liquid vs dry. I think i probably used dry yeast in my earlier beers.... but i'll change sanitisers too.

thanks again

 

[bradsbrew]

Do you use salts to adjust your water?

 

[scottc1178]

Do you use salts to adjust your water?

no, that's something I've never looked into, forgive my lack of knowledge, but how does that work in relation to sulfites etc.

cheers

 

[Nick JD]

SO3 is not SO4.

 

[manticle]

Nick is right and I'd be encouraging your mate to seek medical advice rather than rely on hypotheses generated here.

 

[scottc1178]

Nick is right and I'd be encouraging your mate to seek medical advice rather than rely on hypotheses generated here.

Yeah, absolutely. I've been hassling him about it... As it could be potentially fatal!

 

[manticle]

As an aside - I gave a bottle of a strong belgian brew I made to a mate at work. He shared it with one of his friends. My workmate loved it but said his friend developed some kind of prickly rash and heart palpitations after drinking it, suggesting that there may be something in some kinds of beer that people react to. I wouldn't point the finger at sulphites necessarily though- how does he go with wine, dried apricots and commercial ciders?

 

[Mike L'Itorus]

Nick is right .....

Makes a change. But true. Sulphate and sulphite are different beasts.

 

[manticle]

I chuckled

 

[scottc1178]

As an aside - I gave a bottle of a strong belgian brew I made to a mate at work. He shared it with one of his friends. My workmate loved it but said his friend developed some kind of prickly rash and heart palpitations after drinking it, suggesting that there may be something in some kinds of beer that people react to. I wouldn't point the finger at sulphites necessarily though- how does he go with wine, dried apricots and commercial ciders?

Sounds like your mates mate has something similar, or the same
Yeah it seems to be more of the stronger or heartier beers that cause a reaction. I think from memory, he get reactions from dried apricots, avocado, sun flower seeds and a whole bunch of others, that all point to sulfur or sulfite allergy. From what I've read the allergy alone doesn't usually cause such a violent reaction, unless its coupled with asthma, which he has. Not sure how he goes with ciders, but a glass of krug champagne nearly stopped him breathing, its pretty scary ****. I'm hassling him to see an allergist and get it sussed out and or confirmed.

 

[431neb]

As an aside - I gave a bottle of a strong belgian brew I made to a mate at work. He shared it with one of his friends. My workmate loved it but said his friend developed some kind of prickly rash and heart palpitations after drinking it, suggesting that there may be something in some kinds of beer that people react to. I wouldn't point the finger at sulphites necessarily though- how does he go with wine, dried apricots and commercial ciders?

I dismissed it as coincidence but I have a mate who claims a slab of Dundee IPA made hime break out in a rash.

 

[Nick JD]

I dismissed it as coincidence but I have a mate who claims a slab of Dundee IPA made hime break out in a rash.

Once when I was in Dundee, I came home as drunk as can be.
Wound up the clock, with the end of my cock,
And buggered my wife with the key.

She still has a rash. Probably the same thing happened to your mate.

 

[Rowy]

Once when I was in Dundee, I came home as drunk as can be.
Wound up the clock, with the end of my cock,
And buggered my wife with the key.

She still has a rash. Probably the same thing happened to your mate.

She woke up alarmed

as if she'd been harmed

but was delighted to see

it wasn't a bull,

just a ******** having a pull

and his name was NickJD

 

[Bizier]

I have heard from a number of sources that a large determinant in the selection of the main lager yeast used at Fosters is that it emits so much sulphur that it acts as a biological inhibitant.

I would feel quite safe brewing with cal ale.

Sometimes, and usually at the worst moment I get constricted breathing and a red rash all over me from drinking, would have to be a lot of beer if it has ever come from beer, but sometimes at the drop of a hat from spirits, and usually ones I like such as aged rums.

 

[pokolbinguy]

Can he eat dried apricots without issue? If so then it's not the sulfites.