Bug in my brew!

[aprichman]

Went to check on my ginger beer that is fermenting and I noticed a little bug was floating at the top of my beer. It looks like a tiny winged ant, but it's pretty small so it's hard to see EXACTLY what it is.

Just wondering how that little thing got in there My only guess is that it was either in the boil (hopefully) or the ant managed to make a daring entrance through the airlock.

Thinking about putting something like cheesecloth in between the airlock and the airlock cover.

Does anyone know if this will cause any infections or off flavors? Can't imagine winged ants are particularly good for fermentation

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Did it kill the bug? If so dump it. Not really I wouldn't worry too much it takes quite a bit to ruin it. One of my first extract boils some little swarm of critters wanted to hang out above the boil pot. The steam knocked a few out of the air into the pot. Ended up one of the better beers I have made.

 

[mcbar]

I wonder if dry hopping with ants imparts an earthy flavour?

If your beer has been fermenting for a while I wouldn't worry about it. Thanks to the alcohol and pH of your beer, you probably have a very clean, slightly ginger flavoured ant floating in your primary.

 

[bobeer]

Ride it out. I'm sure it'll be fine. I've done worse things to my beer!

 

[Sailingeric]

Now you have a name for the beer.. Flying Ant Ginger Beer. I think if we knew some the FDA levels of crap that is allowed in our food that ant would be the least of the interesting things we have eaten.

 

[Ski12568]

The bug isn't dead, it's drunk.

 

[atoughram]

I cant seem to find the potential gravity of ants... Sorry...

But you know have a myriad of names for your brew! "Dead Ant Ale"

 

[fastengine]

The hops I picked this year had little critters running around in them. I figure if they survived picking, maybe the drying process will get them, if not then maybe the vacuum bagger got them. If not then the freezer should do them in. If that doesn't do it, I'll drop them into a big vat of boiling beer!! If they survive that, they deserve a taste of my finished beer.

Accually I have had fruit flies get into my airlocks. That is as far as they could get, never making it past into the beer.
Your gnat must have been in the boil.

 

[Elijah]

One of my first extract boils some little swarm of critters wanted to hang out above the boil pot. The steam knocked a few out of the air into the pot. Ended up one of the better beers I have made.

Sounds to me like a new "secret" ingredient.
Will post on beersmith forums to add this one into the DB!

 

[joshesmusica]

my question is if this turns out to be the best beer you've made, and you need to replicate the exact process you used, will you then find a winged ant to put into the process from here on out?

did you use sanitizer solution water in your airlock? if so, i'm guessing he had to have made it in during the boil.