Bugs In The Brewery

[nabs478]

In the past I have been fairly slack about when I clean stuff up in brewery. Because of this, there has often been saucepans and tubs with gruesome liquid in there, just sitting for a day or two after a brew before I get to cleaning it up. Recently I have noticed these little bugs that look like giant fleas, or very small flys - perhaps fruit flys? - hanign around in the brewery. When I notcied them in fairly large numbers, I decided to be more dedicated to keeping the brew shed clean at all times, and particularly focusing on brewery waste disposal (waste liquid and grains).

I have been doing that for about 3 weeks now, but the bugs seem to be persisting. I am wondering if anyone knows what these bugs are, and any good methods for getting rid of them?

Last summer, for example, we had a fly problem and some ordinary fly ctachers from bunnings killed them of by the thousands! Perhaps these would work again for the mini brewery bugs?

 

[razz]

They have just started around my brewery this week, I thought it was the warm conditions. I do keep everything clean, but it is a shed.

 

[dig]

Drosophila sp. Vinegar flies. Attracted by the aroma of fermentation (usually rotting fruit), these critters are bad news. They carry acetic and lactic bacteria and will ruin your beer if they can get at it.

 

[MHB]

As dig said Drosophila carry all sorts of nasties, but in fact they live entirely on a diet of yeast, so its no surprise they find breweries to be some sort of fruit fly heaven.

Apparently they can smell yeast at amazing distances and will travel to kamikaze into your brew.

I dont know of anything that will eradicate them (bit like cockroaches) but good cleaning practices and rapid removal of wastes will draw fewer of them.
Fly screens, and insecticides can fight them to a draw.

Just beware of the red eyed ones they have had far too much to drink

MHB

 

[newguy]

Every year, late in summer, I get an infestation of these things in the house. They're attracted to my carboys, and there are always a few in my airlocks. I found that a glass with something like 100ml of homebrew in it attracts them. Some will fall in and drown on their own. I help the process whenever I happen to be near by slamming my hand over the glass and shaking to dunk all the flies within. Within a week or two of putting the glass out, they're pretty well eliminated from the house.

 

[The Big Burper]

Easy Vinegar Fly Trap.

Get a 1 litre soft drink bottle, cut it in 3/4's, the 1/4 being the top half - er quarter. Invert the top
into the bottom to make a funnel type thingo.

Put some nice stale beer in the bottom, replace the top (making the funnel), and voila, your own killing machine.

cheers
Dave