Bug found when moving beer to Pressure Barrel

[mthom]

Hello,

I am no expert in home brewing, but normally make a brew for Christmas with no issues.

Last night I was moving my beer from the fermentation barrel to a pressure barrel and was horrified to find a bug floating on the surface. I had thoroughly cleaned and sterilised all the equipment before using, so not sure where it came from.

I am really looking for advice as to wether to throw the beer away and start again, or if it is likely to be Ok to drink? The bug was about 1/2 inch long, looked a little like an earwig, but was definately not an earwig. Did have some pincers like an earwig at one end though.

Kind of offputting, but I dont want to waste 5 gallons of beer for no real reason. Any advice appreciated.

 

[calumscott]

Sounds like an earwig to me...

...not much else kicking around that has earwiggy pincers and can get into stuff with ease. It always puzzles me how they can get into things you think are sealed...

...anyway, the problem is not the critter or what it was before its untimely demise in your beer rather what it was carrying with it.

And there is no way of knowing until your beer is ready to drink. There's no point in chucking it because it might be fine.

I would just get a back up brew on just in case.

Worst comes to the worst you tip 5 gallons and you've got 5 gallons to drink. If the beastie didn't bring any viable nasties you just get 10 gallons of beer. :thumb:

 

[mmaguy41]

Its not ideal but it will most likely be fine, fish it out with a sanitized spoon and taste a sample to check its not infected, go ahead and keg it as normal and just see how it turns out. If in a few weeks its smelly and tastes bad you lost the battle but it probably wont come to that

 

[GrumpyBunny]

Now, if you you were making cider it would just add to the "body". Make sure you get it to spit out what it drank and see it doesn't climb back in for some more. :grin:

 

[Wezzel]

I'm sure it will be fine.

Beer has been made for thousands of years without the modern technology of Starsan and airlocks!

You would have to be bloo*y unlucky to get and infection from a single bug.

 

[mthom]

Thanks for the advice, sounds like the general concensus is that so long as it tastes OK, I should survive drinking it (if not all in one go!). Want to avoid the runs over Christmas.

I do like callumscotts idea to end up with 10 gallons. Maybe I will try that

 

[calumscott]

0 beer = very bad
some beer = good
more beer = excellent

It's not rocket science!!! :thumb:

 

[The Goatreich]

It could be a dragonfly larva. They have mean pincers, but on the other end of their body to an earwig's.

 

[johnluc]

Its not ideal but it will most likely be fine, fish it out with a sanitized spoon and taste a sample to check its not infected, go ahead and keg it as normal and just see how it turns out. If in a few weeks its smelly and tastes bad you lost the battle but it probably wont come to that

what does an infected bug taste like? :rofl:

 

[Tomcat]

might have been one of these
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/wildlif ... horse.aspx

go with the brew, unless it smells / tastes manky odds are it will be fine - nowt like a bit of body to improve the beer :grin:

 

[Russ146]

Did you remove the airlock when you lifted the FV?

Any dirt/insects/bacteria trapped in the airlock along with the stale water will be sucked back into the brew when lifting the FV due to the weight causing the bottom to drop creating a vacuum above the beer.

This has ruined many a brew no doubt without even realising the cause.

 

[fbsf]

Maybe it was a beerwig.






I'll get my coat.

 

[evanvine]

The wine/fruit fly, the real menace to brewing, is very small and black/brown.
I would not worry about your much larger cadaver!

 

[calumscott]

Maybe it was a beerwig..

:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[Green Ninja]

Maybe it was a beerwig.






I'll get my coat.

Get out!!!

 

[mthom]

Thanks all for the useful info - and humor :

I am much happier to continue with the brew now, hopefully I can just ignore the fact that some stray creepy crawlie tried to get drunk at my expense, if it tastes bad I would chuck it anyway !

 

[borischarlton]

It will probably turn out to be the best beer you have ever brewed so in future you will make sure every brew has a bug in it.

Rob

 

[cask is best]

I'm sure it will be fine.

Beer has been made for thousands of years without the modern technology of Starsan and airlocks!

You would have to be bloo*y unlucky to get and infection from a single bug.

Sorry for hijacking the thread but there goes the theory of everything should be spotlessly clean and sterile.
yet a bug has dropped in the fv. I had an instance where i had green mould in my fv once and it turned out fine.
Then we have open fermenting which is to just leave a damp towel over the fv.

I wouldn't like to try it but has anyone tried to brew anything and just given the utensils fv etc just a general wash with hot water then bottled/barreled and if so what was the results

 

[BerkshireBadger]

I wouldn't like to try it but has anyone tried to brew anything and just given the utensils fv etc just a general wash with hot water then bottled/barreled and if so what was the results

As long as the washing up water is hot enough, it will kill off any bacteria on the utensils/fv etc. The water needs to be so hot that you couldn't keep your hand in it for more than a second - which can make washing up awkward! Rinsing everything with boiling water from the kettle should work too.

I know my grandad used to just rinse his demijohns in this way after an ordinary wash-up - his beetroot port was always wonderful!

 

[cask is best]

So we could be sort of brain washed in this the 21st century by the companies who sell these sterilisers sanitisers etc.
I have always questioned this but never brave enough to try a brew without using such chemicals.