God damn #^*!*&*#^& flies

[browndog]

Did a Double batch of a West Coast IPA today, everything went to schedule until I was running the wort through the plate chiller into the fermenter. I don't know if any of another other brewers have noticed these tiny flies, smaller than vinegar flies, they are so small they are hard to see. Anyway they must be attracted to the smell of wort because I've noticed they like to get inside the fermenter while it is filling, so what I do is sling a nlce big piece of clean rag over the fementer to keep these buggers out. Anyway, I had finished filling the 60L fermenter and took the rag off and to my horror there was a big green bastard floating on top flapping it's wings trying to get out. I freaked and dragged the bastard out with my fingers, dropped the prick back in then scooped it out again and atomized it on the pavers with my size 10. Now I'm freaking out about what sort of **** is going to be breeding in my wort. Anyone else had experiences with flies in their wort and lived to tell?

cheers

Browndog

 

[citizensnips]

I know the feeling (somewhat). I was leaning over my fermenter just after I pitched the yeast and a nice solid drop of saliva fell out of my mouth and directly into the fermenter, I very quickly got some paper towel and just scooped where I thought it was............ended up being my best beer yet. I think you'll be fine

 

[Florian]

You could always run the wort back to the kettle for a quick boil. Pain in the rear and quite some work with chilling and all but might be worth it. Add some more flame out hops and hope it works.

Not sure what 'big green bastard' you had in there, but those little fruit flies can easily ruin a whole batch.

EDIT: I know you like bitter so surely a bit more can't hurt?

 

[Acasta]

As Florian suggested, or just pitch good healthy yeast ASAP?

Couldn't get worse than this! haha :lol:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/66262-ball-bag-bitter/

 

[winkle]

They are at plague levels here ATM. I appear to have lost a batch due to those bludgers - when to keg up and noticed some scattered white flakes on top (sigh), with a couple of vinegar flies floating there as well - oh well I'll keg and drink quickly if its possible. Turn your back for a second and the bugger are in there. Will be setting a few traps tonight for certain.

 

[CosmicBertie]

This is the reason why I still keep the lids for my fermenters. Pop out the rubber grommet and the tube fits through snuggly.

 

[browndog]

Bloody Vinegar flies are in plague proportions here too, their favourite hangout is my beer taps spouts. Bastards. Florian, you know the thought never crossed my mind to reboil.

 

[Nick JD]

Banana skins. Ban them from your house.

Little feckers can smell them a mile away and can fit through flyscreens.

I have a rule in my house: banana skins on the back lawn.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Banana skins. Ban them from your house.

Little feckers can smell them a mile away and can fit through flyscreens.

I have a rule in my house: banana skins on the back lawn.

neighbours back lawn

 

[tallie]

I turned my back on a fermenter of kit ginger beer last year and a moth found its way into it. I fished it out with my fingers shortly after and it ended up fine (well, as fine as a kit ginger beer can be; it wasn't for me ). It was probably underpitched and had no hops either, so hopefully your yeast will be able to take hold over anything from the fly and the hops will help stave it off! As winkle said, ferment it, keg it, and drink it quick! Or to take Florian's idea further, re-boil with some DME and more late hops and make a double IPA

Cheers,
tallie

 

[Maheel]

those flies have been quite here this week things have been all over brissy the last few weeks

but they seem to love the bottle of red wine if it's been opened (but with the cap on) little feckers hang abotu and annoy me
but they seem to leave my beer taps alone ?

 

[Batz]

Bloody Vinegar flies are in plague proportions here too, their favourite hangout is my beer taps spouts. Bastards. Florian, you know the thought never crossed my mind to reboil.

What is with the little turds this year? If I leave a drip in the drip tray there are millions of them in the morning. They like to crawl up the taps as well.
I have noticed that they are dropping off in numbers now, perhaps the surface spray in the drip trays?

Tony I hope all goes well for you but a reboil does sound a good idea.

Batz

 

[tallie]

I don't recall ever having problems with my taps since I started spraying inside them with starsan and cleaning out the drip tray after each session. Maybe they're just too interested in the bananas a few metres away on the kitchen bench :unsure:

Edit: grammar

 

[Paul H]

West Coast Fly-PA..

Cheers

Paul

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

What is with the little turds this year?

I think its the constant rain we have had this year..........

 

[Malted]

Thread title makes me think of this.

 

[browndog]

West coast FLY PA I like that! It was too late to reboil when Florian mentioned it so I'll have to suck it and see. Might go and give the taps a shot of star san, thanks Tallie.

 

[Bribie G]

Getting a lot of flies now since the neighbours put in a fkn worm farm.

Have you tried the usual methods of pouring bleach down the holes such as the sinks then plug them, the drains in the floor in the laundry and shower then cover them with a towel for a day, etc etc?

 

[DU99]

i run one of those fly spray machines mortein/raid..keeps them away..thinking of buying cheap bug zapper

 

[bigandhairy]

Like a lot of creepies the little fuckers hate bleach. drop a little bit around drains and wetspots (except your jocks or the marital bed for obvious reasons) and it will help contain them a bit. Obviously starsan anywhere thats beer touchable.