Gnat in my starter, I still pitched it

[WahineArt]

I created a starter 2 days before brew day. Right away I noticed a black chunk swirling around and around in the beaker as the stir plate did it's thing and I assumed it was something that was in the DME or even from the yeast bottle (WLP002). I didn't give it any more thought after that. I just purchased my stir plate and it was exciting seeing how well the yeast grew in just a couple of days and never paid anymore attention to the black dot that I would occasionally see.

On brew day I didn't get to start in the daytime but ended up brewing late at night. Everything went great, my brown ale wort looked and smelled wonderful and I was so excited to pitch all the yeast that I had grown. My wife, who is curious as to what my excitement was about, looked at my starter and says "you know there's a gnat in it?". Right away I knew what that black chunk was, oh no.

It was late at night, no home brew store open. I couldn't go to the store the next day either so I had a real dilemma, pitch it or toss the wort. I didn't feel safe letting the wort sit for a few days so I got online here and looked up bugs in starters. Of course everything I read was not what I wanted to hear but the only thing that gave me hope was that the starter didn't smell like vinegar, it smelled like alcohol. So, I pitched it and now I'm having second thoughts. Today is the second day in the primary and it looks and smells great but the more I read the more fear I'm getting. I think I should just dump it and start over. I would hate to go 6 weeks and find out it's infected. If it does get infected will that ruin my primary container (plastic bucket)? Your opinions on my dilemma would be appreciated and sorry for such a long post.

PS - One opinion could certainly be that it's time for me to finally get some glasses

 

[eastoak]

don't worry about it, your beer is fine.

 

[dfc]

I'd just roll with it and try it once the beer is finished. There's no point in dumping something just because you think it MIGHT be infected. I'd hate to hear of you dumping a batch that could turn out to be great. If you do get an infection though I would keep that bucket separate from other fermenting vessels. Maybe it's time to start doing sours?

 

[Gonefishin]

Some bugs have all the luck. I agree with eastoak. RDWHAHB

 

[WahineArt]

I keep hoping that the gnat got boiled so I would be ok but now I don't think that's the case. We don't have gnats in the house but my wife says she does see them in a house plant she has in the kitchen, right near where I cooled the starter wort uncovered. Hopefully the yeast that I got going in the starter could overcome anything that could come from the gnat

 

[H-Balm]

Bugs and humans have interacted for many, many years.
We are more durable that some stinkin gnat!

 

[MMJfan]

Extra protien...

 

[Jayhem]

I have had several small critters get into my wort while it was chilling on my deck. I found a large round screen (used for frying) to cover the brew pot during chilling and that helps a lot. If a bug gets in just scoop it out with a sanitized spoon...never had an infection yet.

 

[Zogman100]

Hope he doesn't drink all your delicious beer! ;o)

 

[user 4295]

Can't be any worse than the billions of little creatures that you intentionally put into your wort to fart out co2 and p!ss ethanol, lol!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

If you read Brewing Classic Styles, Jamil has a recipe for Black Widow Porter. There's a reason he's names it that, living in NoCal, he leaves his equipment outside, and on more than on occasion has had a black widow spider come out into the kettle, dead, while collecting his wort. Apparently, much like Peter Parker, this spider has provided JZ with brewing super powers! :rockin:

 

[jsmcclure]

Yeah I confess to an ant or two making the ultimate sacrifice in some cooling wort. They seem to be able to smell it from miles away

 

[Jayhem]

If you read Brewing Classic Styles, Jamil has a recipe for Black Widow Porter. There's a reason he's names it that, living in NoCal, he leaves his equipment outside, and on more than on occasion has had a black widow spider come out into the kettle, dead, while collecting his wort. Apparently, much like Peter Parker, this spider has provided JZ with brewing super powers! :rockin:

I'm sure whatever venom those spiders posses was indeed leached into the wort through the boil. Super power beer!

Maybe we could start soaking spiders in star san and using them for dry hop?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Yeah I confess to an ant or two making the ultimate sacrifice in some cooling wort. They seem to be able to smell it from miles away

I know, right.... "F the propane burners guys, I'm goin' in!" Boxelder bugs seem to have these same feelings about wort as well.

I'm sure whatever venom those spiders posses was indeed leached into the wort through the boil. Super power beer!

Maybe we could start soaking spiders in star san and using them for dry hop?

Dry spidering huh? We've had some wicked wolf spiders around the fire pit this year, maybe I should get the boys to round a few up and give it a try. Would you bag 'em or just toss 'em in the fermenter? Do you dry spider in primary or secondary?

 

[dcott]

Reminds me of this joke:

One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together. They each bought a pint of Guinness. Just as they were about to enjoy their creamy beverage, three flies landed in each of their pints, and were stuck in the thick head. The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer, and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. The Irishman, too, picked the fly out of his drink, held it out over the beer, and started yelling, "SPIT IT OUT, SPIT IT OUT YOU BAS**RD!!!!"

 

[logdrum]

ba dump

 

[homebrewdad]

Seriously, the chance of an infection from one lowly gnat are pretty darned low. You have active yeast in that starter, which will likely outgrow anything else introduced to the beer. Once they do that, you get the preserving effect of the alcohol.

Relax. One tiny gnat isn't going to ruin your five gallons.

 

[WahineArt]

Thanks Dad (couldn't resist saying that!) and thanks to everyone else for their replies. I'm feeling much better about my batch and will keep it. I opened up the fermentor to see if anything funny was growing today but it looked normal with a nice krausen and a wonderful aroma. I suppose i will have to name it "Gnat Brown Ale"

 

[Jayhem]

Dry spidering huh? We've had some wicked wolf spiders around the fire pit this year, maybe I should get the boys to round a few up and give it a try. Would you bag 'em or just toss 'em in the fermenter? Do you dry spider in primary or secondary?

I would think you would just toss them in the primary as whole, loose spiders. Would look super cool with a bunch of spriders floating around in your beer....perhaps you could also place one spider in each bottle at bottling, kind of like the worm in tequila...would be one heck of a Halloween beer

 

[jbaysurfer]

Hope he doesn't drink all your delicious beer! ;o)

Lol!!!

Reminds me of one of my favorite beer jokes. A Brit, a Scotsman, and an Irishman all order beers. The Brit looks into his beer and sees a fly. Says "Barkeep! Please bring me another beer, this one has an insect in it!" The Scot sees a fly in his beer, picks it out throws it away and drinks the beer. The Irishman sees a fly in his beer, picks it out, holds it up close to his face and yells "Spit it out ya bastard!".

 

[SmoothSmoke]

1 gnat = 0.5% abv increase

 

[Dr1nkBeer]

Spit it out... LMAO
Gotta love the irish... Us italian types would have hung him over the bar by his b***s... Till he gave it up...

 

[dgez]

Thanks Dad (couldn't resist saying that!) and thanks to everyone else for their replies. I'm feeling much better about my batch and will keep it. I opened up the fermentor to see if anything funny was growing today but it looked normal with a nice krausen and a wonderful aroma. I suppose i will have to name it "Gnat Brown Ale"

Other names could be Gnatty Lite or Gnatty Dreads

 

[logdrum]

Other names could be Gnatty Lite or Gnatty Dreads

Ugh, that is truly a groaner

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Spit it out... LMAO
Gotta love the irish... Us italian types would have hung him over the bar by his b***s... Till he gave it up...

"Hey, yo, Copernicus, why don't you navigate yourself outta my beer, what with your wings and such!"

As someone of Irish decent, I'd like to say that I'd've just drank the li'l f#%$er.

 

[jbaysurfer]

LOL @ ...well...lots of responses above!