Fruit Fly?

[wizdumb1]

So I cut up some vanilla beans and tossed them into a small amount of vodka to let it sit to put in my carboy. I was swishing it around and noticed that somehow two fruit flies made it in. I sanitized everything mixed it up and put the top on pretty quickly but they made it in.

I fished the fruit flies out but now is it ok to put this in my beer? Do you think the vodka killed off whatever could have came with the flies?

 

[BuckSwope]

I wouldn't worry about it. Given the environment the vanilla beans were stored in, the chance of infection is pretty minimal. If you're concerned, just rerack the vanilla beans onto some new vodka in a sanitized container and you're good to go. Personally, I wouldn't use the vodka just because you may noticed the vanilla flavor might be a little more intense than expected if you add the vodka in with the beans. Toss the vodka and just add the beans.

 

[boydster]

You're fine to put it into your beer. The vodka would have acted as a sanitizer.

 

[tyzippers]

I would proceed as if nothing ever happened. Problem solved. If beer can't harbor any sickening bacteria, then vodka surely won't. Fish those bastards out and move on my friend.

 

[wizdumb1]

Thanks for the input. Ill go on as planned. I just wanted to make sure I avoided home made vinegar.

 

[tyzippers]

Thanks for the input. Ill go on as planned. I just wanted to make sure I avoided home made vinegar.

Yeah, the alcohol from the initial beer ferment plus the vodka should be enough to kill off any unwanted nasties. If not, then you may end up with an interesting sour. In that case, throw some oak chips in and see what happens!

 

[dgr]

Fruit fly = vinegar fly. Funny how common names evolve.

Beer (or cider or wine) ABV is NOT strong enough to kill acetobacter. That's how they make vinegar. A fruit fly in a batch of beer or cider or wine is a bad idea. Someone reading this thread might mistake the responses and assume fruit flies are no big thing. Keep them away from your beer.

That probably doesn't matter here since you were soaking them in vodka which probably killed the acetobacter bacteria they can carry. I just wouldn't want someone thinking fruit flies are benign.

 

[woozy]

I think it's pretty clear from the thread that it is the vodka that sanitized the flies. The alcohol in the beer, which hasn't even been created yet, isn't enough. If it were, and if it acted proactively, we'd never have to sanitize anything.

In sumary, flies in wort; bad. Flies in vodka or in starSan; mostly harmless.