Gnats

[mvrk28]

Ok so our first go at brewing has been really fun, just not sure if they beer is going to be ok.

We started primary fermentation on Sunday evening, the airlock has been bubbling away. This morning I went to the garage to take a look at the airlock before I left for work (I like seeing it bubble haha) and it was not active. No bubbling and also had quite a few gnats in it. There's still sanitized water in there, is it ok? Can I get another airlock, sanitize and switch it?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It appears to be doing what it was meant to do. Leave it, or change it. Up to you.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

You're likely fine, gnats are notoriously bad swimmers The water will take on a sweet aroma (I've actually made hoppy seltzer by adding some sugar to a blowoff that used clean pure water) that attracts some bugs. You may have simply come to the end of the most active fermentation. If you want you could swap it or just remove it and clean it and reinstall it. Or you can leave it, they're not going to do any damage by being in the airlock for now.

 

[mvrk28]

PHEW! Thanks guys, I will leave it be until the 1 week to 10 day mark, then transfer to the glass carboy. I'm going to get a 6 gallon carboy for primary from now on.

 

[unionrdr]

Were using a bucket for primary? What kind of airlock? With the bucket lid sealed properly, they can't get in that way. An "S" type airlock might let them in on a suck-back? I use the 3-piece airlock, & rarely get a fruit fly small enough to get through the little holes in the cap. Those holes are fairly small, even for them. Pesky lil buggers also carry acetobacter, among other things. There's a video on youtube I watched when researching how to make a vinegar mother from scratch. This one guy used a 2L plastic soda bottle to create a trap for them in sweet liquid or other to get the bacteria that creates the mother. So in light of that, enough of them getting in could start something bad. but it's unlikely enough of them would get in to do any significant damage.

 

[Hello]

PHEW! Thanks guys, I will leave it be until the 1 week to 10 day mark, then transfer to the glass carboy. I'm going to get a 6 gallon carboy for primary from now on.

Are you transferring to a second carboy because some instructions that came with a kit told you to? If so, I would advise against it. What beer did you brew? Are you adding anything to secondary like hops or fruit? Even then, I don't bother with secondary, but that's another story.

As for the gnats, they're likely fruit flies. Definitely keep the airlock clean, but I wouldn't worry too much about them getting in the actual beer past the airlock,

 

[IslandLizard]

+1^

Unless you do some really advanced brew, forgo the secondary, it only creates trouble. Leave in primary until you're ready to bottle, about 3 weeks after you brewed. Ignore kit instructions, and read HBT.

 

[treacheroustexan]

+1^

Unless you do some really advanced brew, forgo the secondary, it only creates trouble. Leave in primary until you're ready to bottle, about 3 weeks after you brewed. Ignore kit instructions, and read HBT.

Pretty much this!

 

[harleybug88]

I cut the sides off of a coffee filter, so just the bottom remains. Then wet it with Star-San, and put it over the air-lock. Then I put a small rubber band on it, and cut the excess off.
No more fruit flies.
It's amazing that they can fit through those holes. (3-piece)

 

[mvrk28]

I use a 3 piece airlock, there really is no need for secondary? We're brewing an IPA, I was hoping the secondary would help with the clarity?

 

[slym2none]

It's a myth that a secondary FV will help clarify your beer.

In the HB world, using a secondary is usually not necessary.

 

[BGBC]

A) Clarity is overrated
B) Secondary will not help with clarity. Just try not to stir up the trub/yeast cake when you rack to the bottling bucket
C) See A)

 

[unionrdr]

I don't think it is. some beers just taste better cleared up, especially when they're not exactly full flavored hop bombs.

 

[BGBC]

I use a 3 piece airlock, there really is no need for secondary? We're brewing an IPA, I was hoping the secondary would help with the clarity?

I don't think it is. som beers just taste better cleared up, especially when they're not exactly full flavored hop bombs.

D) See point A)

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

D) See point A)

Irrelevant. He didn't hopstand.

 

[unionrdr]

I was referring to light pale ales, pilsners, lagers & other lighter offerings. You wouldn't want to serve those all cloudy or misty? The trub & yeast would change the light flavors. So it DEF is not irrelevant. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time. Especially at today's prices.

 

[BGBC]

Who's talking about lagers? Gnats! We're talking about gnats!

 

[QuadConPana]

The first really clear beer I ever made happened after reading here to skip the secondary. I cold crashed with gelatin in the primary and it was beautiful.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, them pesky lil varmints are still buzzin' around. I clean things up, wife cleans things up, & still...I need to break out a can of hairspray & the bic again!...(gotta have some fun out of it)?!...

 

[slym2none]

I have made plenty of crystal clear beers so far, and never used one bit of fining agents, nor ever used a secondary. I use high-flocculating yeast and cold-crash my brews for 3-4 days before bottling.

 

[unionrdr]

I used my pill splitter to split my bottle of Whirlfloc tablets in half, so each one's the right size for a 5 gallon batch. but I don't even use those all the time. The high-flocculation yeast & time can do the job about as well. Although Whirlfloc's great against chill haze forming proteins. Might be worthwhile to make a trap for the fruit flies to culture acetobacter for vinegar making. That's the way it was done in the past.