Ants up in my drink

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I have a small batch of mead brewing in a one gallon jug. I took a peak and noticed three small shapes floating in it. On closer inspection I realized it's ants. Definitely not flies. I'm not sure how they got in. They might have made their way to the mead before it went into the fermenter or somehow slipped in the three piece airlock when it got a little low.

Anyway, they are obviously dead. I'd scoop them out but it's hard to get anything in the mouth that would reach in and have any hope of getting them out. I'd also rather not mess with it mid-fermentation. Should I be concerned about the bodies decomposing, rotting, etc.? I'm thinking probably not, but I'm no biologist. The mead needs to sit until it's done fermenting, then I can transfer it off the lees -- and the ants -- into another jug, but for now I'd rather not screw up the fermentation since mead is so finicky.

 

[hopsalot]

I vote let it be, makes for a better story when its all said and done

 

[makomachine]

You are too late I'm afraid.... Little buggers already drank their fill!!

Should be fine I would think...

 

[Kahler]

Tequila gets a worm, Mead gets an ant. Sounds fine to me.

 

[Jsamp]

Some cultures eat ants it wont kill you. Now you just need to give it a clever name with ant in it.

 

[Jayman931]

You could call your Mead..... Three Ants...I like it

 

[eltorrente]

Yeah, make sure you incorporate "Ant" in the name - never let a crisis go to waste.

I brewed up an "Earwig Ale" one time. It was excellent, and had a great story to tell to horrified drinkers.

 

[dotsun]

You might try squeezing them between your fingers to get the mead out.

 

[certaut]

Texas fire ant mead cool.
I did a Texas honeybee Mead a few years ago had a handful of my honey bees in it (guess they wanted their honey back), was great

 

[kh54s10]

Ants are a good source of protein. --- I think... ---