Flies in the Air Lock

[danco]

Hi: Forgive me if this is a duplicate thread. I tried posting once but I don't think it worked. I am new to the forum and to mead brewing (5th batch). For the first time I have found fruit flies trapped in the airlock. I think I am OK because they drown and stay in the water. They do not pass into the mead itself, so I don't think there should be any contamination. I am hesitant to change the water since that would break the seal and I am not sure if that would affect the fermentation process. My gut says to wait and do it when I rack the mead next week. Is there any risk to waiting?
Thank you

 

[D the Catastrophist]

Change it. Even if fermentation is no longer ongoing, the limited amount of oxygen exposure will have no impact at all on your mead.

 

[Dgallo]

The airlock doing its job. You can switch it out. Just be prepared do it quick to limit the o2 getting in

 

[fluketamer]

flies, ants, cat hair . you discovered my secret ingredients. lol it all just contributes to the flavor. seriously tho i havent noticed any issues when bugs get in there. i have noticed that they seem less attracted to starsan in an airlock then just water.

 

[Saunassa]

Starsan tends to bubble out the little holes on airlock cap keeping them out which is one of the reasons for the airlock.
Just did a brown ale with maple syrup added. This fermented so hard it kept foaming out all the starsan. Switched with one filled with cheapest vodka. Problem solved. Did this a few summers ago with fruit flies, problem solved. I never use only water.

 

[danco]

Starsan tends to bubble out the little holes on airlock cap keeping them out which is one of the reasons for the airlock.
Just did a brown ale with maple syrup added. This fermented so hard it kept foaming out all the starsan. Switched with one filled with cheapest vodka. Problem solved. Did this a few summers ago with fruit flies, problem solved. I never use only water.

Thank you. Any particular reason you chose vodka over other alcohols?

 

[kev211]

Thank you. Any particular reason you chose vodka over other alcohols?

Vodka is good because it is flavorless (relatively speaking compared to say, whiskey) and wont impact the flavor of said mead/beer.

To parrot what others said, the flies in the airlock and not in the mead show that the airlock is doing its job. If it were me I would swap it for some fresh, just cuz. Id rather have clean, sanitized water than the bugs and the O2 impact is going to be negligible at worst.

 

[Deadalus]

It took me until just this week to figure out that a piece of paper towel folded over once or twice and attached with a tight rubber band to the top of the airlock will keep them out. I've been rubber banding the foil on my erlenmeyer starter flasks for years ever since one got through just the foil. I double up the foil in fruit fly season in case of a tear when putting on the rubber band. The one that got through wasn't a tear but crawled up the wrinkled foil and found a pathway in!

 

[Saunassa]

Thank you. Any particular reason you chose vodka over other alcohols?

As stated relatively flavorless and a bottle costs $5. It also happens to be what my wife sprays on fabric when quilting so costs me nothing at all.

 

[Miraculix]

It doesn't do any harm in there so leave it as it is till you have to open it anyway.

Of course will the oxygen do damage if opened.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

As stated relatively flavorless and a bottle costs $5. It also happens to be what my wife sprays on fabric when quilting so costs me nothing at all.

That funny my wife uses it to make starch for quilting also.