Airlock suckback salvageable?

[Barzahl]

So I made a melomel a couple years back and a few months in when I was checking airlocks it's airlock was practically empty I filled it with water (initially it had OneStep sanitizer) and a few days later I was passing my carboys so I checked airlocks again and it was almost empty I got suspicious (at this point I started putting rum in the airlock so I checked it the next day and it was the same thing, again I filled it this time it was before I went to work so when I got home I checked it again and it was almost empty again I realized it must have been getting sucked in and changed from a short cylinder airlock that had come with a carboy to an S airlock and it stopped after that. The mead still smelled good and it was a 5 gallon batch so I was hesitant to throw it out but unsure if it was safe to drink(the airlock had quite a few fermentation flys in it I'll add a picture below from after I put rum in it) so I just let it sit however I recently came up with the idea of pasteurizing it any opinions or advice on this idea would be appreciated

 

[Knightshade]

Two different phrases my dad used to, and if given the opportunity would probably still say come to mind.

"They don't eat much."
"Meh, more protein."

My thoughts are the alcohol content alone would make any risk of whatever you're fearing a non-issue, but there is really only one way to find out? Small sip vs. big gulp..

 

[lumpher]

The alcohol in the rum will keep them from ruining it. I'd suggest moving to a more neutral spirit like vodka, though, since the sugar in the rum is attracting the flies.

 

[micraftbeer]

That is a lot of fruit flies. Probably your only risk would be floaters in a served drink. We were at a beer festival once, and this one beer had fruit flies. Everybody got one or two in their sample pour. Everyone poured out their sample and did not go back to that brewery table.

If what you're making us just for your own consumption, that would make it simpler.

 

[amber-ale]

Definitly switch to vodka. You should be able to taste it if the mead has gone bad. Fortunately it was a few months old when this happened, so rhe existing alcohol should have protected your batch. But maybe strain the mead before bottling….

Also why are you having so much suck back?
The point of a bubbler is to let co2 OUT, is this problem resulting from the type of bubbler? From temperature shifts? Why the negative pressure?

 

[Barzahl]

@lumpher thanks, it was initially sanitizer then water then rum, at the time I didn't have vodka on hand but now I keep a bottle just for airlocks

 

[Barzahl]

@micraftbeer thanks, it is for home consumption, it was one of my first few batches and I made a couple big mistakes pouring boiling water over my berries to sanitize them then putting them in the blender also not using pectic enzyme so it's going to be on the thick side, I might try carbing some to see if that helps.

 

[Barzahl]

@amber-ale thanks, I have switched to vodka, any advice on how to strain it without oxidizing? Was thinking of adding Campden tablets then racking through a strainer into a 5 gallon bucket.

I think it was a combination of the bubbler being too small and cylinder type and that I had the vessel sitting directly on a concrete cellar floor keeping it significantly cooler inside, I had another brew with a larger cylinder type airlock and a couple with s type that had no problems

 

[MightyMosin]

Those small airlocks are great for cold crashing in fridge, but they evaporate out fast...
I prefer the S-shaped as the liquid hangs around a long time

 

[micraftbeer]

I have switched to spunding valves when I get near the end of fermentation. I had a phenomena once where I had a beer at end of fermentation and therefore wasn't producing a bunch of CO2 offgas. The temperature in the fermentor was right around room temperature in the basement so there's was this happy air pressure equilibrium. Then the furnace kicked on and created enough localized air temperature difference that didn't feel like a cold/hot swing to me, but the air outside warmed up faster than the thermal mass of beer inside, and boom. Right before my eyes, I saw the fermentor steadily drain the airlock water like it was drinking it through a straw. As I panicked, running around trying to figure out what to do to make it stop, it was gone.

 

[An Ankoù]

@lumpher thanks, it was initially sanitizer then water then rum, at the time I didn't have vodka on hand but now I keep a bottle just for airlocks

We get the blighters here, too. This is how i keep them out.

 

[An Ankoù]

Salvageable? I think so. Fruit flies carry the vinegar bacteria which can only reproduce with oxygen. Keep the air out and it should be ok.