Hello, maggots in mead.

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OssianOtt

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Hi, I've brewed a batch of 1 gallon BOMM mead before and did not use any potassium, this time around me and a friend made a 5 gallon batch and I read per denardbrewing that I could use dried apricots instead of potassium carbonate/bicarbonate for pH buffering (Denard Brewing). The pH buffering worked as the pH did not fall off much if at all, but we found two dead maggots in the must. Is it normal for them to tag along into the dried apricot packages, or could they have gotten into the brew from the apartment? Should also be added that due to miscommunication the waterlock was left out for one day (there was a hole into the bucket where the waterlock usually sit, not just waterlock without water) and my friend who has the batch at home found similar worms in the room when he cleaned. I can't understand how they would find their way up and into the bucket. Anyway, albeit disgusting I wonder if you mead guys would recommend us to toss the batch (could be more worms which we have not found) or if it's not neccesarily a deal breaker.

Thanks for any tips.
 
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Maggots are fly larvae, before the pupa stage. They look like short white worms. I would think they're harmless.

Are there any flies in the fermenting area?
Still a bit puzzling how the maggots got inside your fermenter, though.
 
I see a branding opportunity here....Dead Maggot Meadery has a catchy ring to it.
If your ABV is high enough, the alcohol will kill any critters that get into your mead. Having said that, I've made all kinds of funky experimental beers, ciders, wine and mead, and never once seen a maggot or anything similar in my fermenter. I suppose there is a chance that they got in while the airlock was not installed. I'd rack it and let it age and taste it before I dumped it.
 
Thanks guys, I think we will bottle it, while trying to see if we can find more maggots and let it sit, hopefully being in good shape.

I also read on denard that fermaid-o which we are using has some pH buffering capacity, rendering potassium to be optional. Maybe we'll try without any buffering additions next time, but our must pre-fermentation were pretty low pH, a bit lower than 4 IIRC, I think it actually increased in pH during fermentation if that's even possible, if our pH meter is accurate. Or at least stayed still
 
Maggots are fly larvae, before the pupa stage. They look like short white worms. I would think they're harmless.

Are there any flies in the fermenting area?
Still a bit puzzling how the maggots got inside your fermenter, though.
I am sure the maggots came from the dried apricots. They dried the fruit without checking whether it's clean or not.
You know here in winters dry fruit from our northern areas is being utilized. I found little dried insects in dried apricots few times.
 
I was seized with horror at the thought of clicking on this to seeing a pic of maggots in a brew and had to put it off and come back later once I'd braced myself.....Now I'm strangely let down. :p
How about a pic?
 
I was seized with horror at the thought of clicking on this to seeing a pic of maggots in a brew and had to put it off and come back later once I'd braced myself.....Now I'm strangely let down. :p
How about a pic?
Unfortunately we have no pictures, but here is a video, not the best video but its what we have. The other larvae/maggot was bigger, white and with a black head according to my friend. I never saw them myself, only saw this video and heard about them from my friend who has the batch at home and took care of de-gassing and such.

Edit: This was in fact the bigger of the larvae, I thought this was the smaller one. The smaller one we have no video/picture of.
 

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Unfortunately we have no pictures, but here is a video, not the best video but its what we have. The other larvae/maggot was bigger, white and with a black head according to my friend. I never saw them myself, only saw this video and heard about them from my friend who has the batch at home and took care of de-gassing and such.
I'm NOT going to look at the video. I'm not squeamish (I ate military food for too many years), but larvae of any kind in wort might put me off brewing forever. From that point on I 'd be picturing fermenting in corpses, and waking up screaming...
 
Are they maggots or pantry moth larvae? The pantry moth larvae love dried fruit, nuts and grain. Also they can eat through cardboard and plastic. Ask me how I know.
My friend looked at pictures of pantry moth larvae and commented he think the head of the larvae was black and not brown (like in most pictures of pantry moth larvae online). The body were white/transparent. Unfortunately I never saw a picture of the bigger white larvae, but I think I saw something reminiscent of a pantry moth larvae in our brewing room a few days later (we have had bags with barley and a little barley spilled out on the floor so no wonder it attracted some insects and such, everything is cleaned now however).
 
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That one in the video looks more like a grain moth larva, being skinny and fairly long. Grain moth larvae are white with a (dark) brown head.

I think I saw something reminiscent of a pantry moth larvae in our brewing room a few days later (we have had bags with barley and a little barley spilled out on the floor so no wonder it attracted some insects and such, everything is cleaned now however).
Pantry moths (aka grain moths) and their larvae can live in bags with grain/malt, coming in like that from the distributor, or your supplier.
But they can also live in your pantry or anywhere starchy foods are stored. Although (technically) harmless, they're a real pest and hard to get rid off completely.

I would check the bags, but take them outside before opening, out in the open air, well away from the home and garage. You don't want them inside, not even in your garage.

Moths, larvae, and eggs may cling to the inside (or even outside) of the sacks, also hidden in seams, and there maybe some webbing. The moths and larvae usually crawl around, trying to get out. One female can lay as many as 400 eggs...

If you indeed have them, shake out and inspect your clothes, before going back inside, they may cling to you too.
There are ways to kill them as well as the eggs. From what I gather, deep freezing for a few weeks (or longer) is the easiest.

If you suspect them being in the garage or home, check where the walls meet the ceilings, the moths like to hang out high up, looking to find a mate, moreso during the evenings/nights.
 
I agree they are more likely to be pantry moths/grain moths. the "spotting feature" is if you have small, dark gray/brown moths flying around. they have about a 3/8" wingspan.
 
I narrowly averted a disaster a couple of months ago. I went to the Mexican grocer and bought some bags of dried chile peppers. Came home and was about to toss them in the pantry when I noticed Indian meal worm moths in the dried chipotles. (the dried anchos appeared to be okay but who knows) I put both bags in the freezer instead to kill them and any worms or eggs. If I had not noticed and put them in the pantry they would have infested the cornmeal, flour, pasta, raisins; everything.

I called the store to warn them, and they were confused. I didn't want a refund, just wanted to let them know they had a problem while it was maybe still isolated to one product. Don't know if they took any measures or not, I haven't been back yet. (I will still shop there, just will be careful)
 
Maggots only eat rotted items, the medical industry still uses them on certain wounds as they only eat the bad flesh and leave the healthy flesh alone.
 
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