Freak fruit fly accident....

[ThatMikeKid]

Alright so I've scoured the forums looking for a definitive answer, and all I've read are mixed feelings on the topic, but I'll start from the beginning...

Started an Oktoberfest/Maerzen yesterday. Everything went swimmingly, and it was exciting, as it was my first time steeping grain (I'm easily amused)

Moved everything into my primary after the boil for lagering. Ran into a problem, my primary fermenter is SLIGHTLY too big for my mini fridge. I'm talking not even a quarter of an inch. My secondary is slightly slimmer, albeit taller. Decided I was moving the beer to my secondary about 15 mins after pitching the yeast.

I cracked the top off my primary and started siphoning. I looked away for ONE SECOND, and a fruit fly landed right into the beer in the primary. Sprayed a spoon with starsan and grabbed him. Little bugger was still alive, unfortunately for him....

I know these things carry vinegar-producing bacteria, and even though one landed and I grabbed him immediately, I'm fearing the worst because the yeast hasn't fermented much at that moment.

TLDR; a fruit fly landed in my freshly pitched beer. Wat do?

 

[jeffjm]

RDWHAHB. More than likely the yeast will outcompete the nasties and all will be well.

 

[funnycreature]

Relax and wait for fermentation. The few bacteria on the fruit fly will be outnumbered by the yeast by the billions! I don't even want to know what kind of airborne crap flies into my kettle during chilling and into the fermenter during transfer. I brew outside and it's usually windy... Cheers!

 

[Moose1231]

For now, there is nothing you can do but wait. I never happened to me right before fermentation begun, but I already found 1 or 2 fruit fly in my primary. I removed them and everything was fine.

But yeah, those little bugger really like the beer!

 

[ThatMikeKid]

Much appreciated everybody, can't have this beer souring right when football season kicks off.

I'll rest easy. Cheers!