How much should I worry?

[jd3]

Not much I assume... as there isn't much I can do about it at this point....
But I brewed an Oktoberfest "ale" on friday. Pitched and all was well. 5 gallons in a 6.5 gallon carboy. Knew I should have done a blow off tube, but was lazy. sometime after leaving saturday morning at 5 am and getting back to town today at 4pm, I had a blow off, losing the airlock and the carboy was open to the world. There were fruit flies circling, but none appeared to be IN the carboy.

I cleaned the airlock, put it back in.

I know, just let it ride.... but AGH!

 

[lumpher]

no worries. positive pressure from co2 generation kept it ok

 

[android]

if it's still fermenting actively, i wouldn't worry much about it, there is a good blanket of CO2 on top.

 

[scrambledegg81]

You should worry: none. Fruit flies often impart a pleasant citrus/melon flavor on the final product, hence their name.



So in all seriousness, don't worry! A lot of folks have had bugs take a nose-dive into their brew. It's a scientific fact that no known pathogens can live in an environment where ethyl alcohol is present. Hence why early historic brewers made beer as a safe alternative to water.

 

[ChillWill]

They're also known as vinegar flies. If they got in, you may have trouble. If none got in, you're good to go!

 

[Stout-n-Braggot]

even if the fruit flies introduced enough acetobacter to make vinegar from your brew ( unlikely ), that may not be a problem, malt vinegar rocks!

 

[Nightbiker]

even if the fruit flies introduced enough acetobacter to make vinegar from your brew ( unlikely ), that may not be a problem, malt vinegar rocks!

:rockin:

Don't worry, you will be fine -and rename it 'fly-away ale'.