Bottled fruitflies.

[chefzilla]

Ok, this is what happened.
After a couple of days of no bubbles in the airlock I thought I had killed my yeast so I was going to repitch it.
When I opened the fermenter it was clearly fermenting so I took a hydro reading to make sure, and it was.
I then noticed the grommet was torn on the cover and figured air was escaping through there and that's why the airlock wasn't working.
I readjusted the grommet, put the cover back on and the airlock started going nuts.
Fastforeward to bottling day.
Everything goes fine.
Fastforeward to a few weeks later.
I decide to have one of my beers.
Before I opened the bottle I noticed some black specks clinging to the inside of the bottle.
I opened it, poured the beer out and rinsed out the bottle to find fruitflies INSIDE the bottled beer.
I went through all my bottles holding them up to the light and lost seven beers due to the fruitflies in the bottles.
I'm sure they got in because of the torn grommet and I didn't notice them when I bottled it, but what do I do now?
Do I throw it all away? Or are the ones without fruitflies in them ok to drink?
This is my second attempt at all grain and the ABV is almost 5%

 

[boydster]

Bummer! Fruit flies are known to carry acetobacter, which can turn alcohol into acetic acid in the presence if oxygen. As long as the beer doesn't taste like vinegar, you can probably still drink them. Just might be best to drink them fast because once the vinegar flavor starts setting in, age only makes it worse.

 

[Rockn_M]

Drink them sooner than later and maybe pour through a strainer or paint bag to catch the little buggers. They won't hurt you, if you accidently drink one.

 

[JimRausch]

Extra protein man!
Sorry. In a post I read awhile ago, someone called fruitflies "vinegar flies" because appearently they carry acetobacter which will convert your alcohol to vinegar. So, the possibility is that the batch is contaminated. I think the reaction needs oxygen though, so bottled may be OK. If it tastes good, I'd drink it fast. Or save a few bottles for malt vinegar.

 

[BGBC]

A moment of silence for the poor fruitflies...

 

[chefzilla]

Thanks for the responses.
As long as they're good to drink without getting sick I'm ok.
I'll just have to drink them quick I guess.

 

[Rockn_M]

If you eat peanut butter, you've eaten worse.

 

[BigFloyd]

A moment of silence for the poor fruitflies...

At least they died happy, or should I say "hoppy".

 

[xjedifishx]

On average the human eats a few spiders a year while sleeping... I don't think a fruit fly will be too bad.

Died hoppy hahaha


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[Math0]

If there is fruitflies in there, it should mean there is also eggs ready to hatch. Mmmmm tasty!


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[ImNoExpert]

If you can't beat'em, join'em.

 

[jpcourtney]

Seth Brundle: I want to be the first insect politician.

 

[troy2000]

A moment of silence for the poor fruitflies...

At least they died happy...

I remember the old joke about a brewery foreman showing up on a worker's doorstep, hat in hand, to inform the lady of the house her husband had just drowned in a vat of beer.'

"Ahh, the poor man. 'e never stood a chance,' the widow sobbed. And the foreman cleared his throat and said, "beggin' yer pardon ma'am, but tha's not strictly true. 'e climbed out twice to take a pee...."