Maggots

[Rossnaree]

It's simple: FFFI (Freakin' Fruit Fly Infestation).

What? Like everything else around here doesn't get acronymized????

I keep a simple fruit fly bottle trap or two or three all the time during their season. They lay eggs in there, can't get out and die, but the larva (maggots) have a great time, then coccoon and hatch and - well, usually die because they can't get out but sometimes they'll breed and it all starts all over again. Fruit Fly Zoo. HEY, THERE'S A NAME FOR YOUR BREW! Seriously, don't get all bothered that you weren't sanitary enough, they're as natural as beer itself. The role they play is to speed decomposition. They carry acetobacter (the bacteria responsible for turning things into vinegar, as in acetic acid) on their legs. ALL of them carry it. So even if the brew was still good, odds are it wouldn't be for long; not as in bad for you, but as in sour, vinegary, etc.

Besides, like Revvy says -- NOTHING THAT CAN HURT YOU CAN LIVE IN BEER. Things that can gross you out, YES, but they won't kill you.

Anyways, it isn't your sanitation. Get and USE airlocks! It's bad enough with my wines, using a towel and elastic over the primary; especially the reds, when you have to punch down the cap twice a day or more. The stinkin' mo'fo' fruit flies make it an almost impossible one-man job, ya need 4 extra arms just to keep them away! The traps help a HUGE amount, but the flies are still a problem. Well, maybe they're more of a problem around here, since I have about 80 tomato plants, along with a lot of grape vines, and I'm surrounded by 92-acres of orchard. Fruit flies are more abundant than mosquitoes, they just have a more well-defined season.

Anyways, use an airlock and keep it at the right level. A mix of vodka and glycerin (about 5-parts food-grade glycern to 1-part vodka) works well; the glycerin evaporates extremely slowly and the vodka will kill the little blighters even with that dilution.

Google fruit fly trap, they're crazy easy and simple to make as well as free (empty plastic bottle and some tape), unless you're using a deposit bottle and then you're only out a nickle.

Good luck! They (FFFI) do make brewing a PITA this time of year.

P.S. - I don't spray them, because I keep a compost pile or two going and you can't BELIEVE how much those little buggers aid in reducing sweet spoils to soil!

 

[C3Candy]

I'm very disappointed that you didn't post a picture! LOL

 

[paraordnance]

Are you using that 10 gal plastic fermentor from kit with loose lid that looks like a garbage bin? I would toss it out, I only used it once, its peice of crap, fles can easily get inside, I freaked out when seen some around my first batch. No really, 5 gal glass carboy is only $20 here in Save-on. I actually converted that fermentor into lagering bucket, I sprayed outside with insulating foam which will help me to regulate temperature better

 

[vasvas]

Some guys who dig Slipknot would appreciate your beer....

 

[Fletch78]

I got maggots in some fermenting cayenne pepper sauce, super-brined and high acid, in a frenchpress covered with sieve and cap, and also a towel over it. Those littles bastards can get into almost anything. I don't know how the bastards on Avery Island do it in open barrels.

 

[HighGravity]

Actually a note for all Canadians: it seems like only in Canada we have this garbage bucket type of fermentor distributed by RJ Spagnols. I've used it for many years, but there is no way it can accept an air lock, the lid simply is too loose. Our US brothers are using more sophistacted buckets, where we are talking about a plastic trash can essentially.

A reasonable compromise, besides not leaving your beer in here too long seems to be using a thick wad of saran wrap on the rim, putting the lid on, and then weighing down the lid with something heavy. I'm doing this tonight myself....getting way too paranoid over a $50 batch.

 

[akthor]

Duct tape the lid down, drill a hole in the lid and install an airlock. I get free food grade buckets from the bakery and do it all the time.

People ferment in food grade trash cans you can seal the lid also with those springy clamps and keg lube.

 

[EoinMag]

Hmmm I brew with a loose lid all the time, and have fruit flies about, they just don't get into the fermenter. You've had some bad luck and no need to dump the loose lid unless you have clouds of those dudes.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Nasty! Good thing you pitched it. I'd start another batch and get rid of this one entirely. Make sure your cover on the bucket is plenty tight next time.

 

[passedpawn]

You've had some bad luck and no need to dump the loose lid unless you have clouds of those dudes.

Airlock = good luck. This I prefer.

No need? He's maggots in his beer. I can see a need there.

 

[logan3825]

Fly in the ointment beer

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Airlock = good luck. This I prefer.

No need? He's maggots in his beer. I can see a need there.

One maggot in my brew is one too many. Time to pitch!

 

[EoinMag]

just to put it in the terms others seem to understand

Loose lid != Maggots in beer

To claim that a loose lid will lead to flies getting into the beer is rubbish.

I'd say pay more attention to how the lid is actually clipped on and how much of a gap there actually is.

 

[jollytim]

Other than the psychological aversion that they bring... there really is nothing that could hurt you in that brew.

Why pitch? Unless the gag reflex just makes it impossible to swallow.

 

[boo boo]

Hmmm I brew with a loose lid all the time, and have fruit flies about, they just don't get into the fermenter. You've had some bad luck and no need to dump the loose lid unless you have clouds of those dudes.

I have had fruit flies get into a wine starter that I had covered with Saran Wrap 4 years ago. They can be persistant lil buggers. I now use a container fitted with an airlock for starters too.

And I have seen those containers talked about. Didn't size them up, but I can now see why they don't seem to be so good.
Regular plastic foodgrade buckets, carboys and even the conical I now use are the way to go IMO. Seal it and forget it.

 

[krisagon]

Heck, I would have tried to keep it.

Sounds like a new recipe to me, Maggot Braggot!

 

[MBasile]

I wonder how drunk the maggots were!

 

[akthor]

LOL this is a ridiculous statement, are there times and places where you could get away with it? Of course!

Are there times and places you shouldn't risk it? Certainly!

The fact that he has maggots in his beer and other of us have had flies in our airlocks is proof that they will get in your fermenter if it isn't airtight.

I mean gosh why are there even airlocks if they didn't serve that purpose? I am sure there are other bacteria and germs that can sneak into a loose lid fermenter besides flies as well. I mean if you can infect your beer opening the fermenter to check on the beer how about what can happen to a non-airtight fermenter.

My LHBS sells the rubber grommet for an airlock for .29 cents and a 3 piece airlock for .99 seems like cheap insurance to me.

If you live in a region and a climate that has flies then be smart about it.

just to put it in the terms others seem to understand

Loose lid != Maggots in beer

To claim that a loose lid will lead to flies getting into the beer is rubbish.

I'd say pay more attention to how the lid is actually clipped on and how much of a gap there actually is.

 

[EoinMag]

LOL this is a ridiculous statement, are there times and places where you could get away with it? Of course!

Are there times and places you shouldn't risk it? Certainly!

The fact that he has maggots in his beer and other of us have had flies in our airlocks is proof that they will get in your fermenter if it isn't airtight.

I mean gosh why are there even airlocks if they didn't serve that purpose? I am sure there are other bacteria and germs that can sneak into a loose lid fermenter besides flies as well. I mean if you can infect your beer opening the fermenter to check on the beer how about what can happen to a non-airtight fermenter.

My LHBS sells the rubber grommet for an airlock for .29 cents and a 3 piece airlock for .99 seems like cheap insurance to me.

If you live in a region and a climate that has flies then be smart about it.

Or just be careful and crack the lid like most people who primary without an airlock, flies or no flies. As explained I have flies too, but not in my fermenter.

 

[tallybrewer]

You could have backsweetened with honey & made Maggot Braggot!

 

[HighGravity]

Yeah, its just not worth it to use loads of duct tape on this bucket, then put in a airlock on the top. You'd still need lots of saran wrap around the rim anyways, too much of a pain.

This is the last time I am using this bucket too, except maybe for when my carboys are all full and I want to start a new batch and leave it in the bucket for a week or less. The system was designed to transfer to carboy after fermentation, no need to try and change that I think. But I still have trouble figuring out OG when using carboys to primary in because I don't top up with water to 23L.

 

[whiskey_pickle]

I would have just thought, "Tequila = Worm;...... Beer = Maggots......Good times and kindness.....

 

[specialkaye]

Anybody ever thought that the maggots might be from outside, maybe a bit of blow off that ran down the side then rotted, and they migrated into the loose lid? They are pretty mobile little creatures.

 

[NewBrewB]

If this ever happens to me, I'll have to be REALLY careful not to say anything about it which might get back to my wife, or my brewing days will be over. Yikes!

 

[defenestrate]

Aging the beer probably wont cure this one.....

sure it will, they will turn to flies and leave the beer unscaved!

 

[HighGravity]

Now that I've thought about it, as I have a similar bucket, I'd just let the maggots hatch and take some pictures of whatever comes out of the larvae.

In the meantime, its off to get a closed system.

 

[specialkaye]

If this ever happens to me, I'll have to be REALLY careful not to say anything about it which might get back to my wife, or my brewing days will be over. Yikes!

I tell my SWMBO to pretend she's on her favorite TV show, Survivor. "Suck it up, Girl, and finish your maggot beer."

 

[chriscraig]

I've used a loose lid for 15 batches now, and only had this problem once. I think the difference this time is that I left beer in the primary for 4 weeks instead of 1 week, and then racking to a carboy with an airlock.

Regardless, I'll be drilling a hole in the bucket lid and using an airlock from now on.