Insects in Fermenter

[rhino18]

I'm new to beer making, I picked up some ingredients and followed directions closely in sanitation and other things. When it came to bottling, all went well until I reached the sediment near the bottom of the fermenter when small, dead insects started to show up in the final bottle and in the sediment. I considered this strange haha. Is there something I might have missed in the storage of the beer during fermentation or sanitation?

Thanks!

 

[JVD_X]

What kind of insects?

 

[rhino18]

Not sure exactly, they are very small, perhaps the size of a fruit fly or imperceptibly larger.

 

[MistyMountainHops]

Dude, we need so many more details than that...We'd love to help you, but help us help you.

 

[rhino18]

What details would be relevant? Or just everything?

 

[SMOKEU]

It just adds to the flavour.

 

[MistyMountainHops]

How could you see the insects in the bottle? Are you sure the bottle was absolutely clean? Are you positive the insects came from the carboy? etc etc...

 

[Ksosh]

What kind of carboy and airlock did you use?

 

[dougugly]

Can you take a picture?

 

[Newbeerguy]

I have noticed that if I don't dry out my bottle rinser that the next time I goto use it, little "gnats" (I believe thats what they are) come out of it. I now always dry it completely and I don't have problems. The first time it caught me off gaurd, I was thinking, what the heck is floating in the StarSan?

 

[albannach]

I have noticed that if I don't dry out my bottle rinser that the next time I goto use it, little "gnats" (I believe thats what they are) come out of it. I now always dry it completely and I don't have problems. The first time it caught me off gaurd, I was thinking, what the heck is floating in the StarSan?

Yep, those are what my relatives in New Orleans call "sink fleas". Whatever they are, they reproduce, live in, or just pop up around even the smallest "puddles" of water (like the small amount of water that remains around a sink drain).

I'd still the drink the beer though

 

[JVD_X]

Yep... sounds like fungus gnats. They carry acetobacter so I would take a sip of your wort. If it is off, then you might be out of luck. Otherwise, bottle it, you will probably be fine.

On a side note, if you have houseplants you should check the soil and see if you see any of those flies. My house is infested with them because we keep a lot of plants. Generally speaking I take all the plants out in the summer and they go away naturally via lady bugs... but as soon as they come back in I have to put up with them all winter.

 

[rhino18]

Yep... sounds like fungus gnats. They carry acetobacter so I would take a sip of your wort. If it is off, then you might be out of luck. Otherwise, bottle it, you will probably be fine.

On a side note, if you have houseplants you should check the soil and see if you see any of those flies. My house is infested with them because we keep a lot of plants. Generally speaking I take all the plants out in the summer and they go away naturally via lady bugs... but as soon as they come back in I have to put up with them all winter.

I looked up fungus gnats--that's what appears to have come out.

I don't have any house plants, so I am not sure how they entered the wort. The beer itself smelled/tasted fine, guess I got lucky.

 

[pericles]

What kind of insects?

Maybe I'm just too finicky, but if there's insects of ANY kind in my beer, I'm switching back to commercial.

Also: you are now required to name your next batch "Bug Lite."

 

[Torg]

Actually I get fruit flys in my mead and have had various bugs fly into my wort. I generally just fish them out. They are not really a bother as the alcohol content will kill them (other then the already mentioned fact they can carry mold and bacteria on their legs).

Generally I just have to resist the urge to yell at them "Spit it out ya wee bastard"

 

[rhino18]

Maybe I'm just too finicky, but if there's insects of ANY kind in my beer, I'm switching back to commercial.

Also: you are now required to name your next batch "Bug Lite."

LOL

Will do!

 

[Lunarpancake]

After a brew session once my equip is cleaned I ALWAYS cover carboys and bottles with a plastic bag to stop (in my case) cat hair from falling in. Might work to stop these bugs too.