Damn Fruit Flies.

[vera]

I have a starter going for my next brew and I just noticed two little flies swimming in my $8 batch of starter. I'm not even going to ask if its contaminated. How do I prevent this? I don't want to put an airlock on, because I want oxygen to get in. I had covered it with aluminum foil. Any ideas?

 

[GulfCoastGirl]

How do I prevent this? I don't want to put an airlock on, because I want oxygen to get in. I had covered it with aluminum foil. Any ideas?

I'm not an experienced brewer, however I do a lot of bread making and I'm often making starters that are loosely covered and ferment a bit. Of course this draws the pesky fruit flies. I have a non-working microwave in my kitchen that I stick the starter in when it needs to be out for a few days. Since the door seals, no flies or other bugs can get in.

Do you have a cabinet with a well sealed door (maybe a china cabinet) you could put it in? If not, just put it in the microwave and pull the plug so no one accidentally turns it on.

 

[JesseRC]

i have a foam stopper that I bought. Works great.

 

[suprchunk]

Rubber band and cloth? Tightening the foil around the top? Foam stopper? Upside down cup over cloth? Myriad ways. I always use foil now, but it gets firmly snugged up around the top. Air still gets in. Bugs do not.

 

[passedpawn]

i have a foam stopper that I bought. Works great.

Yes, foam stopper.

BTW, one of my favorite threads:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/yellow-white-creepy-crawly-things-my-beer-130714/

 

[user 21663]

If you still made the beer with this starter, would you have to call it a "Fruit Beer"

Loose tin foil is how I do my starters. And just because they are in there, doesn't mean it infected. You'll just have to try and forget about the little bug-corpses when you are drinking this beer.

 

[vera]

If you still made the beer with this starter, would you have to call it a "Fruit Beer"

Loose tin foil is how I do my starters. And just because they are in there, doesn't mean it infected. You'll just have to try and forget about the little bug-corpses when you are drinking this beer.

I don't mind a few critters in my beer, I'm just wondering how sterile my starter is. I'd hate to ruin $30 of grain and hops.

 

[suprchunk]

And just because they are in there, doesn't mean it infected.

Usually it does. I personally wouldn't use it. But I like to end up with what I was trying to make. Not the myriad yeasts that fruit flies carry on their hairy little legs.

 

[terrapinj]

i had that problem once when using foil - ive since switched to using a couple sanitized paper coffee filters and a rubber band - thankfully no problems since

 

[whitehause]

i had that problem once when using foil - ive since switched to using a couple sanitized paper coffee filters and a rubber band - thankfully no problems since

I like this idea!!! Will have to try it

 

[ghpeel]

And just because they are in there, doesn't mean it infected.

Sadly, fruit flies are notorious for being the harbingers of the dreaded acetobacter, the stuff that turns ethanol into acetic acid, ie BEER turns into VINEGAR .

All advice I've seen on this board indicates that you shouldn't even think about using that starter. Chuck it and pony up the $5 for a foam stopper, or just wrap the tinfoil a little tighter next time.

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Hey GulfCoast, I grew up north of Panama City and my folks have a place down in Seagrove. Grayton Beach is prob my favorite place in the world. Awesome region (but the beer distribution in FL still sucks...)