Dead fruit fly in air lock. Toss the batch?

I was transferring to the secondary and found a dead fruit fly in the air lock. I did not see any indication of fruit flies in the fermentor. My wife read in some wine making text that fruit flies in the airlock means larvae in the batch. I think it's probably OK, but I thought I'd ask for opinions.

I think that wine-making text is hooey. Or... wait... does does your airlock have a cover to keep flies out?

Fruit flies are a serious danger to your beer, but in the airlock is OK. I'd clean that airlock out and replace the fluid in it though.

What's in your airlock? And, why doesn't it have a cover for this reason? (If it does have a cover, now that might be a problem!)

I'd wait to see what the pros here say.
I'd say don't drink out of the airlock. It would have to be pretty bad for me to dump 5 gal of beer.

Drosophila are most common in the red eye variety. Was it a white eyed, male? Those are the rarest. As a science teacher these things excite me.

The airlock does have a cover, but there are small holes in the top that he got through (standard three piece) . I just had water in the airlock, not starsan or anything

Let me know where you are going to dump it and I'll bring my carboy.

You'll be fine.

Cider123 said:

Drosophila are most common in the red eye variety. Was it a white eyed, male? Those are the rarest. As a science teacher these things excite me.

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Lol. This was my first thought as well. We science teachers are an odd bunch.

I hope you are planning on dumping it down your throat.

Get some starsan in that airlock.

I am really surprised a fruit fly got through those little holes. I've fermented outside in the summer (in FL) and nothing got in there.

Thanks for all of the quick replies. Good to know there is nothing to worry about. I'll start using StarSan... and tell my wife to get a new wine book

bizarrojosh said:

Let me know where you are going to dump it and I'll bring my carboy.

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I lol'ed.

I started using cheap vodka in my airlock. Other than there being a bit of an alcohol twinge when I sniff the airlock (yeah, I'm one of those...), it seems to work very well!

No way I'd dump a batch unless there was literally no other choice.

This will be fine.

TheJasonT said:

I started using cheap vodka in my airlock. Other than there being a bit of an alcohol twinge when I sniff the airlock (yeah, I'm one of those...), it seems to work very well!

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I do this too. Works great

TheJasonT said:

I started using cheap vodka in my airlock. Other than there being a bit of an alcohol twinge when I sniff the airlock (yeah, I'm one of those...), it seems to work very well!

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I use tequila, though it's the only booze in the house.

I've had that happen a couple of times. They don't seem to drink all that much. Proceed as normal but consider vodka or Everclear in the airlock.

fruit flies in the airlock is a sure sign of a good and vigorous fermentation:rockin:

Having a dead fruit fly in the airlock is a good sign- a sign that the airlock did its job and kept the fruit flies out of the fermenter. That happens to me sometimes, especially with wine fermentations. But I've never had a spoiled batch yet!

yerp your good. It's proof your airlock is doing what it's meant to do, Keep crap out.

You don't want to know how many barrels I would have thrown away if a fruit fly in the airlock was the reason

*edit* and get some Starsan or Purisan for your airlock already.

Ever been in the barrel room of a winery during fermentation? Fruit flies everywhere. As long as they aren't in your beer, you're fine. Heck, even if one does get into your beer, you're most likely fine.

Ditto. You're fine. I also use everclear in my airlocks.

Besides, if you did have larvae in your beer, it's just protein. You could bottle it with the larvae and call it "tequila" beer.

Remind your Wife that real women "eat the worm."