Anyone else have this issue? 2 Row and Pilsner give me a rash on my neck, itchy throat and eyes, sneezing, etc when milling. I haven’t noticed this until recently since I’ve been buying grain in bulk and milling my own. I never had this problem milling darker malts, though. Also, the finished brews never bother me (thankfully).
This is similar to fruit allergies I have where eating the raw fruit gives me hives, but it is fine in any other form. For example, I cannot bite into an apple, but I can eat apple pie just fine. I’m thinking there must be a connection.
Often the raw fruit/vegetable allergies are a reaction to the microbes on the skin. Cooked or even peeled can help. I know grain has lots of microbes of many sorts, which is why you never want grain dust getting near fermenting beer.
I wonder if the reaction is to extra passengers on the grain dust express? I also wonder if the darker roasts have less living microbes due to the higher heat of the process? Just speculating. Interesting question.
you are probably having more of an irritant reaction to the dust instead of an actual allergic reaction. think of it as though sneezing when some one sprays pepper in your nose. doesn’t mean you are allergic to the pepper. follow euge’s advice and cover up a bit, good ventilation. or the alternate strategy “Honey, come mill my grain” 8) (not a doctor approved strategy)
One of the biggest sources of contamination in a brewery.
And I would lean towards what Weithman5 says, most likely an irritation reaction. But don’t hesitate to check with your doctor. Better safe than sorry.
Before self diagnosising, I suggest you go to an allergist. That’s what I am doing because I have had some violent reations during a brew day. I own a small commercial brewery, which I have been running for the last 4 years. It wasn’t until October 2013 that I started noticing hives. I wasn’t sure what it was and it went away after taking some allergy meds. April of this year, I nearly dropped dead at the door of the brewery, thanks to an epipen and the quick action of the fire department, I lived to brew another day. I had minor reactions on and off, then, last month, I went anaphylaxic again. I am on a virtual medicine cabinet of meds now, it helps, but under doctor’s orders, I am not going in. We had a team meeting earlier this week at a brew pub, it happened to be a brew day, and even though the brewing area was enclosed, I had a minor reaction. The only thing I am allergic to that could cause a reaction are dust mites, hard to avoid those. From what I hear, there are a lot of dust mites in malt and they surface during milling not to mention spores. I am not being asked to bring in a sample of malt and some wort. I can drink beer no problem and it isn’t hops, I have been growing them for the last year and just harvested them. I am being told now that I may have to go in with an environmental or hazmat suit, because I seem to have contact allergies as well. It is especially worrisome seeing as brewing is my chosen career. It might also be stress seeing as I was clocking in excess of 100 hours a week. I am not going to get worked up about it until I get tested for malt and perhaps wort. Anyone else have this issue?
Cooking denatures proteins which changes the shape and thus the lock-key approach to allergic reaction. Often those with season pollen allergies are also sensitive to raw fruits or veggies (I know, I’m one). Raw apple, grapes, melon, peppers etc make my throat swell but I’m fine once they are cooked.
