I do 20 gallon batches, and I made a 1 gallon starter the night before my brew day.
Starter process:
My assumption was that somehow these insects worked there way under the lid and got into the starter. I had no expectation that this could have come from White Labs.
During the mash I ran down to the brew store, purchased 3 more packets of White Labs WLP001, MFG Date: SEP 03 2017.
I looked carefully through the plastic of the starters, I did not see any flies in the packet, but there were black specs. The plastic packet is translucent, not quite clear. The black specs could have been part of the manufacturing process.
I remade a starter, and sealed the top of the pot with Saran Wrap. I know the seal was good, because I had to continuously let off the CO2 pressure that would balloon up the wrap.
About an hour later, there were 5 flies in the starter. I removed the flies . I also but some of the wort from the starter in a cup next to the starter to see if I could attract any of these flies. None did. A full day later and no flies have gone into the open cup of wort. And there are no flies in the house.
If there are no flies in the house, starter was sealed, and no flies have been attracted to the open wort, where did the flies come from?
I hope the IPA comes out, $170 of ingredients and a day of work. Ill let you know in a month.
Anyone of here of this before?
Starter process:
Since I do not have a stir plate large enough for a 1 gallon starter, my process is this:
The night before.
Boil one gallon of wort in a pot with a glass lid, this sanitizes everything.
Cool the wort to 70 degrees in the sanitized pot.
Pitch the yeast. Stir as much as possible.
This has worked well many times.
The morning of the brew day there were about 20 flies in the starter, little gnats.The night before.
Boil one gallon of wort in a pot with a glass lid, this sanitizes everything.
Cool the wort to 70 degrees in the sanitized pot.
Pitch the yeast. Stir as much as possible.
This has worked well many times.
My assumption was that somehow these insects worked there way under the lid and got into the starter. I had no expectation that this could have come from White Labs.
During the mash I ran down to the brew store, purchased 3 more packets of White Labs WLP001, MFG Date: SEP 03 2017.
I looked carefully through the plastic of the starters, I did not see any flies in the packet, but there were black specs. The plastic packet is translucent, not quite clear. The black specs could have been part of the manufacturing process.
I remade a starter, and sealed the top of the pot with Saran Wrap. I know the seal was good, because I had to continuously let off the CO2 pressure that would balloon up the wrap.
About an hour later, there were 5 flies in the starter. I removed the flies . I also but some of the wort from the starter in a cup next to the starter to see if I could attract any of these flies. None did. A full day later and no flies have gone into the open cup of wort. And there are no flies in the house.
If there are no flies in the house, starter was sealed, and no flies have been attracted to the open wort, where did the flies come from?
I hope the IPA comes out, $170 of ingredients and a day of work. Ill let you know in a month.
Anyone of here of this before?