beer maggots? (is this a 5 gallon drain pour?)

I just got done bottling my 3rd batch, a stout made from a prepackaged kit assembled at my local homebrew shop. I fermented in my glass carboy, which I usually put into a large Rubbermaid bin in case of krausen overflow. I've used foil in the past without problem the previous two batches. Likewise, for this batch, I used 3 layers of aluminum foil wrapped around really tight at the top. Around the 24-30 hr mark I got some MAJOR krausen overflow coming out the top and down the sides (the aluminum puffed up like those Jiffy Pop popcorns you put on the stove) but it didn't explode, krausen just collected at the bottom. Fast forward 2 weeks to tonight, I hauled the carboy from the basement upstairs to the kitchen to bottle, completed the process, now it's time to cleanup.

I go downstairs to get the Rubbermaid bin to take outside and hose off.. I notice in the pool of beer at the bottom of the bin there are MAGGOTS squirming around

Now I didn't see any maggots in the carboy, which as I previously mentioned, I tightly wrapped the top with 3 layers of foil, and there weren't any crawling up the sides of the carboy. Furthermore from the krausen overflow, it sort of bonded the foil to the top of the carboy opening, it acted as sort of an adhesive.

So my question is this, how screwed am I? Is this drinkable or did I just waste all this time and money for nothing? Is this a common problem? I've never had this happen (albeit it's only my 3rd batch) and have never heard of this happening.

gross, but I bet it's fine. taste and see - can't hurt!

Any post with beer maggots in the title should have a picture!

I'm sure that the maggots were limited to the rubbermaid bin. If, as I'm picturing, you used a standard clear racking tube, etc. to bottle, it's hard to imagine you wouldn't have noticed an infestation in the beer. If you serve somebody one of them and they find a maggot, just tell them they're the lucky winner. It's like getting the worm in the bottle of mezcal.

I bet you're ready to spring for that standard-issue carboy cap and airlock now.

It sounds like they were just in the bin the fermenter was in, not in the fermenter. If so, it should be okay.

Pretend its like a tequila worm...or the baby in the Mardi Gras King Cake..If you find it you are king for a day.
-Jefe-

there were probably 20 buggers 1/4" long underneath the bottom of the carboy in the rubbermaid bin.. what are the odds they could have crawled to the top and somehow got through a tiny leak in the foil and into the beer? i didn't notice any when i racked to a bottling bucket but just the sight of them lapping up my precious spilt beer was a little unnerving to say the least.

thanks for the advice/opinions

I think the odds are practically zero they could have crawled up the side of a glass carboy. But I don't know...I've never seen one of the little buggers try to scale a vertical glass wall. Drunk.

Even if one or two did somehow manage to get into your beer, it was probably up to 4+ % ABV by the time they could have grown and climbed up the side. Between the alcohol content and the hops, the chances of infection would have been pretty low. And that's assuming the worst case scenario. I highly doubt you have any problems whatsoever.

I doubt they would climb up in there. Plus they would suffocate from the CO2 production. If it tastes fine and shows no sign of infection, then go ahead with the brew.

muskogeesmalls said:

there were probably 20 buggers 1/4" long underneath the bottom of the carboy in the rubbermaid bin.. what are the odds they could have crawled to the top and somehow got through a tiny leak in the foil and into the beer? i didn't notice any when i racked to a bottling bucket but just the sight of them lapping up my precious spilt beer was a little unnerving to say the least.

thanks for the advice/opinions

Click to expand...

They would have to have a great nose for sniffing out the beer if they crawled all the way to the top of the carboy. If I was a maggot I would do it.

In all seriousness, I think you are 100% fine here. I would definitely spring for an airlock in the future but it sounds like they were simply chewing down on some of the partially fermented wort and probably getting a nice buzz as well.

If they dont cause infection they will add flavor.. so you didnt use an air lock just some tin foil?

They're on the outside, I'm quite sure they didn't make it into the brew. Next time put a little bleach in the bath water - helps keep flies and mold away. I've had mold, fruit flies and other yuckies in the bin (outside the fermenter) but they've never caused a bad batch. A little bleach in there does help.

i probably should add that the entire sides were covered in crusted krausen as i hadn't checked the carboy in a while, i don't know if that would make a difference though with regards to crawling maggots.

no airlock for me, one of my friends is pretty experienced with brewing (4 or 5 years, though he doesn't do extract anymore) and told me for extract aluminum foil is easy and acceptable. like i said, first 2 times i had no problems whatsoever, but for some reason (i don't know if it was the yeast or what) there was an excessive amount of krausen that came out the sides. probably lost a 6-pack or so just from spent krausen, the basement floor was a mess

Aluminum foil is ok but the way you are dealing with blowoff is messy and can lead to sanitation problems (as you have seen). Using a blowoff tube would be much more sanitary for the first couple days of fermentation. Once that subsides, you can use aluminum foil or an airlock. This is true whether you are doing extract or all grain.

Sounds like you're ok. I sincerely doubt they made it into the carboy. Maggots are not known for their ninja-like abilities. They would have needed a rope attached to a grapnel hook, which I'm sure you would have mentioned by now.

Why wouldn't you use an airlock or a hose fed in to a bucket of water to ensure that nothing could get into your carboy? I think you should play it a little safer, i know i would be freaking out.. but i have noticed that if you leave your homebrew bottles outside and not rinse them out....they will be full of those little buggers!

Rule # 1: keep your workspace clean and neat

And besides - the maggots themselves are pretty close to sterile (its what they turn into that makes nasty time) Maggots are used all of the time in medicine as well. I would be more worried about some other sort of nasties in my beer that I COULDNT see causing off flavors and such.
Drink away!
-Me

I just have to chuckle.... I've seen threads about concerns of tiny portions of non FDA materials in contact with beer, etc. where people get all worked up (yes, I know, long term damage to organs and such.....), but just funny to see so much positive over just drink the maggot beer!

BTW, I agree, I would go for it.... and I am also likely going to use Homer buckets for grain storage, so maybe I am just a daredevil!

speaking of homer buckets, are the dollar buckets (5gal) at Home Depot good enough for grain storage?

bentonre said:

I just have to chuckle.... I've seen threads about concerns of tiny portions of non FDA materials in contact with beer, etc. where people get all worked up (yes, I know, long term damage to organs and such.....), but just funny to see so much positive over just drink the maggot beer!

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Maggots are organic supplements so no FDA approval needed.
If I got a clean rack - I'd probably go for it. If you're really worried you can rack to secondary glass and watch it like a hawk for a few more weeks to make sure it isn't infected. (or keg it and drink really fast before it shows)

*An Ohio University fact sheet estimates that we eat from one to two pounds of insects each year, and without knowing it.

-OCD

"Drunken Maggot Stout" has a nice ring to it...

You need to find out about Fermcap-S. I just started using it myself.

Why dont you just hook up a blow off hose?

Hope you did a protein rest

MeatyPortion said:

Sounds like you're ok. I sincerely doubt they made it into the carboy. Maggots are not known for their ninja-like abilities. They would have needed a rope attached to a grapnel hook, which I'm sure you would have mentioned by now.

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If there were maggots obviously there are also flies. Flies are attracted to the alcohol and sugars and may have an easier way crawling into the fermenter.

If you have flies, you need to use an airlock.

Worms need Oxygen, I'll bet there's none in your fermented carboy (worms or Oxygen). I make fruit ciders often. You wouldn't believe the color changes they go through during fermentation. A well oxygenated must might be tan, but after two days of fermentation the cider becomes rose due to the fact the yeast have used up all the Oxygen for reproduction and are in their anaerobic phase. Same color change happens when adding powerful anti-oxidants like citric acid or k-meta.

old thread is old.