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Need some opinions, got a fruit fly in my starter

Discussion in 'General Homebrew Discussion' started by cjalderman, Jul 18, 2013.

 

  1. #1
    cjalderman

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 18, 2013
    Aright so I have a 0.75 L starter going with wyeast 3787 trappist HG. I'll outline my process just to be thorough, so bear with me.
    -I submerged my gallon jug into a bucket of starsan for 5 min
    -I opened the lid on my cooled starter wort and poured it into the jug
    -covered with foil and aerated by shaking
    -pour in yeast and cover again

    I came back an hour later to find a singular fruit fly floating in my starter :confused: So I fished it out with a sterilized knife immediately (pain in the ass). I checked back an hour later and its going strong with no noticeably off aroma.

    My question is, should I pitch it? Since it was only one fly, would the yeast not beat out any bacteria that may have contaminated the starter?
     
  2. #2
    CBMbrewer

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 18, 2013
    I'd say you will probably be fine. If it starts to look/smell/taste funny, then consider giving it another go.
     
  3. #3
    mikescooling

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 19, 2013
    Their is no reason to use this yeast IMHO, if you swap it now, it's no big deal. If you have an infection, that is a lot of time and money wasted.
     
    AT-JeffT likes this.
  4. #4
    mac21

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 19, 2013
    Agreed. I just did a cream ale and had a sugar ant in the starter. It seems fine so far...no off smells or flavor yet but truth be told ya never know. What did you decide?
     
  5. #5
    cjalderman

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 25, 2013
    I ended up tossing this starter down the drain. It's not worth the risk IMO
     
  6. #6
    AZ_IPA

    PKU  

    Posted Jul 25, 2013
    Fruit flies carry acetobacter which can turn alcohol into vinegar. I hate those little fruit flies.
     
  7. #7
    grathan

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 25, 2013
    How to keep fruit flies out? Personally I would use it.
     
  8. #8
    cluckk

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 25, 2013
    I agree that tossing it was the best thing to do. I'd ask it this way: is it better to throw out the materials and time that went into a starter or to risk throwing out the materials and time that went into a full batch?
     
  9. #9
    grathan

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 25, 2013
    I look at more like a lesson learned. If you always take the cautious route you will have not have a good idea of what you can get away with. Obviously the yeast are massively dominant over bacteria in the starter. Fruit flies will surely be around for the new starter made so it's not like your even guaranteed success just by starting over.
     
  10. #10
    Cyclman

    I Sell Koalas  

    Posted Jul 26, 2013
    I would have let it finish, just out of curiosity to see what happened. If the starter finished and the beer from it tasted clean, it might have been just fine. Or, it might have been nasty vinegar bug juice.

    But for a few bucks of yeast, no big loss to start over, compared to the risk of a ruined batch.
     
  11. #11
    Phunhog

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 26, 2013
    You could of also tried washing the yeast with chlorine dioxide. Cheap insurance
     
  12. #12
    ammymorcle

    Member

    Posted Jul 26, 2013
    If its smell, taste fine then it is good giving to another.
     
  13. #13
    cjalderman

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 27, 2013
    Yeah I thought about throwing the yeast in anyways to see if any bugs that got in would actually make a difference. This was for a westvleteren 12 clone though so I didn't want to waste 3 months of patience for a vinegar quad
     
  14. #14
    IL1kebeer

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 27, 2013
    +1 on tossing it. You can half ass your brewing by pitching a possibly infected starter, or you can strive to make the best beer possible with proper sanitization. You opted for making the best beer possible. Good call.
     
    aprichman likes this.
  15. #15
    grathan

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 27, 2013
    I'd bet those foam stopper could keep the bugs out.
     
  16. #16
    Jmarsh544

    Well-Known Member

    Posted May 17, 2014
    I recently had the same experience with a starter of 3711 and I decided to pitch the starter anyway. The beer turned out great with no signs of infection. Just wanted to give a positive experience from someone who had gone the opposite route. (I know 5 gallons is a lot to risk on a questionable starter, but sometimes it's intresting to roll the dice and see what becomes of it.)
     
    Brewmegoodbeer likes this.
  17. #17
    Gingie

    Member

    Posted Sep 29, 2015
    Ah..I wish I had read this before pitching. Same here, found a fruit fly floating in my starter just as I was about to pitch. Serves me right for putting my stir plate next to the peaches and bananas. It was 11pm on a double batch day, so I probably was in a rush. I plucked the bugger out and dumped in the slurry. Fermation took off in a few hours, so I guess I'll know in 3 weeks if I've got some Goose Island Malt Vinegar or not.
     
  18. #18
    Gavin C

    Well-Known Member  

    Posted Sep 29, 2015
    Hopefully the fly wasn't a heavily pregnant female.
     
  19. #19
    Dog House Brew

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Sep 29, 2015
    I had this problem with a Kolsch a few months ago. I tossed it but learned a lesson. I now just unroll a section of paper towel and rubber band it over the neck of my flasks. I then put some foil loosely over that. The starter can breath, but those little bastids are locked out. I had nothing to pitch other than S-04. I just passed on the brew day.
     
  20. #20
    joshesmusica

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Sep 29, 2015
    I would say good job on throwing it out. I agree with those that go for the "best possible end-product" route. It's one thing if this is one of the quick-turnaround styles, but a completely different story if you're long-term aging it. I just can't imagine a Westvinegar 12 tasting very pleasant.
     
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