ugh, found an earwig in my mug

[PersonalBrewer]

I drink from copper that's solid so couldn't see anything in the mug.

Getting down to the last few swallows I felt something in my mouth, so spit it out on a napkin. My wife identified it as an earwig.

Didn't know what an earwig was or how and when it got in my mug. I hadn't been outside. Guess it could have gotten in the house and searched out my beer and drowned in it.

Or more likely, got into the fermenter and couldn't get out.

As I mulled tossing out that keg (1/2 empty) and a full keg, it occurred to me:

That's the best batch I've ever brewed and I'm not tossing it out, it tastes great and has a wonderful "nose."

So, if it got in my fermenter or keg, it didn't hurt anything - since it's the best batch ever - who knows it might have helped.

Regardless, I'm not tossing out 7 1/2 gallons of the best beer I've ever brewed because I found a bug in my mug.

 

[danimal92sport]

Gross! But I’m sure it wasn’t from the keg, it wouldn’t have made it through the poppets. It just hopped in your mug and accidentally got hammered - and lord knows WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE, earwig

 

[BrewZer]

Pickled Earwig Ale. Sounds yummy!

 

[Snuffy]

They pay extra for that in France.

 

[JJinMD]

Time for spout covers/plugs?

 

[bracconiere]

Time for spout covers/plugs?

always practice safe pouring.....

 

[Teufelhunde]

Protein adjunct.....

 

[PersonalBrewer]

Gross! But I’m sure it wasn’t from the keg, it wouldn’t have made it through the poppets. It just hopped in your mug and accidentally got hammered - and lord knows WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE, earwig

Makes me feel better about what's left in the keg. I was going to drink it anyhow, but now I'll feel comfortable serving it to guests!

Appreciate your comment!

 

[PersonalBrewer]

Time for spout covers/plugs?

I have never even thought about that before.

Didn't know they even made them. I would need to have something visible so I wouldn't forget they were there, or I would be fishing them out of my beer.

It's something I will look into.

 

[balrog]

Problem solved.

 

[PersonalBrewer]

View attachment 727690

Problem solved.

I know, I have a number of glassware to choose from.

After almost fifty years of drinking beer, I have found it really tastes better from a copper tankard.

I have three copper tankards, always going to chose one to drink a brew from. Actually, there's a lot of glassware in the same freezer drawer. I just let people choose their preference.

 

[Brooothru]

Just like in Mexico, you must eat the worm to prove your manhood! I guess north of the border up here we can settle for a lowly earwig.

Here's a thought: might the little bugger have actually come from your ear? Eeuwww....

 

[PersonalBrewer]

I don't think they reside in your ear. I have lived here for 75 years and have never seen or heard of them previously.

I thought to show it to my wife and she knew immediately what it was.

Searching on earwig indicates that traps are often made of tuna cans filled with beer. They are attracted to and drown in the beer.

Like this guy did in my mug.

At age 75 I have no need to prove my manhood so will not be eating this thing

 

[bracconiere]

At age 75 I have no need to prove my manhood so will not be eating this thing

LOL, what are you chicken!

 

[pc_trott]

LOL, what are you chicken!

Anybody who's 75 and lived to tell the tale ain't no chicken! And my second hobby is gardening, so I can say from experience that the occasional earwig in your diet won't kill you.

 

[Transamguy77]

When I lived in California they were all over the place! And yes it most likely found it’s way into your tap, I had to dump a few pints due to an earwig floating in it. Those things used to get into my tubing and other crevices so I always had to check before brewing, siphoning or drinking.

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

View attachment 727690

Problem solved.

 

[danimal92sport]

Grew up in Chicago and earwigs were a part of life. Also guns.

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

Grew up in Chicago and earwigs were a part of life. Also guns.

I saw a guy get shot in broad daylight in front of a church on the main street running through downtown Chicago in 1984, while my parents were driving the family from Michigan to Wyoming for a move. My Dad tried to flag down a cop standing right across the street from where it happened and the cop says "You're not from around here, get your ass on the highway and go now, man! Do NOT be here after dark!"

 

[NGD]

Sounds like you need tap covers
https://www.morebeer.com/products/beer-tap-faucet-cover-cap.html
https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Draft-Beer-Faucet-Brush/dp/B07RZK6TT7/

 

[MaxStout]

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Better in mug than in the ear. (Believe old Chinese proverb)

 

[bracconiere]

i much prefer the handle, takes me a while to finish a beer, and holding it would warm it up quicker.

 

[Stormcrow]

Well, this is definitely going on the Father's Day wish list. Just magnificent.

 

[Stormcrow]

At first i was wondering why you were even tempted to dump it.... then I googled "earwig". I get it now.

 

[BreeBrew]

You can eat them as a snack with your beer.
https://www.backpacker.com/survival...igs are edible and safe,They don't have venom.

 

[matt_m]

Seems unlikely it would make it though a ball lock connector assuming that's what you use. @#$% hop particles barely do LOL.

 

[kpsalerno]

"I'm sorry, but I have an ear thing. In an episode of Night Gallery, this guy gets an earwig."

"They said the good news is, we got the earwig..."
"...but the bad news is, it was a female."

- So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993)

 

[JJinMD]

If you prefer the plug route, these work really well. You can get different colors to either make them more subtle or more noticeable, whichever suits your needs. When using, I usually give them a quick dip in starsan after I am done with that tap for the night. They don't work with a stout spout though, but the covers don't either. At least in my experience, the covers keep falling off stout spout, but at least they will fit unlike the plugs...

If you don't dip or somehow rinse the brush/plugs they can get a little sticky in the faucet from dried beer which can't be a good thing... and the covers will catch a drip or two...

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Brush-F...keywords=beer+tap+plugs&qid=1619960856&sr=8-8

 

[Brewbuzzard]

When I lived in California they were all over the place! And yes it most likely found it’s way into your tap, I had to dump a few pints due to an earwig floating in it. Those things used to get into my tubing and other crevices so I always had to check before brewing, siphoning or drinking.

It's good protein and pairs well with many beer styles

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I saw a guy get shot in broad daylight in front of a church on the main street running through downtown Chicago in 1984, while my parents were driving the family from Michigan to Wyoming for a move. My Dad tried to flag down a cop standing right across the street from where it happened and the cop says "You're not from around here, get your ass on the highway and go now, man! Do NOT be here after dark!"

That cop could have been my uncle but he had retired before then.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

"I'm sorry, but I have an ear thing. In an episode of Night Gallery, this guy gets an earwig."

"They said the good news is, we got the earwig..."
"...but the bad news is, it was a female."

- So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993)

So you actually married an axe murderer because of a few earwigs...

 

[PersonalBrewer]

Seems unlikely it would make it though a ball lock connector assuming that's what you use. @#$% hop particles barely do LOL.

Yep, using ball lock on corny keg

 

[PersonalBrewer]

If you prefer the plug route, these work really well. You can get different colors to either make them more subtle or more noticeable, whichever suits your needs. When using, I usually give them a quick dip in starsan after I am done with that tap for the night. They don't work with a stout spout though, but the covers don't either. At least in my experience, the covers keep falling off stout spout, but at least they will fit unlike the plugs...



If you don't dip or somehow rinse the brush/plugs they can get a little sticky in the faucet from dried beer which can't be a good thing... and the covers will catch a drip or two...



https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Brush-F...keywords=beer+tap+plugs&qid=1619960856&sr=8-8

Sounds like you need tap covers

https://www.morebeer.com/products/beer-tap-faucet-cover-cap.html


https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Draft-Beer-Faucet-Brush/dp/B07RZK6TT7/

Thanks for the links, I've never had a problem previously, had never heard of tap covers/plugs now I have a simple resolution

 

[soccerdad]

Van Gogh found an entire ear in his mug.

 

[bwible]

"I'm sorry, but I have an ear thing. In an episode of Night Gallery, this guy gets an earwig."

"They said the good news is, we got the earwig..."
"...but the bad news is, it was a female."

- So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993)

If I recall, the guy was trying to put the thing in his wife’s ear to off her, but it wound up in his own ear instead. So roundabout justice. The old saying “what goes around comes around.”

 

[bwible]

They pay extra for that in France.

Those French are so sophisticated

 

[Snuffy]

Those French are so sophisticated

That’s what comes of eating over 400 kinds of cheese.

 

[PersonalBrewer]

Just ordered plugs from one of the links suggested.

While I am not very concerned about one earwig in close to 4 years, I cannot imagine serving a beer to guests and them finding an earwig in their beer.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over this, but if one of my guests found an earwig in their beer I would be more upset than them (probably.)

As always, I get wonderful feedback from this forum.

I have sent several links to others saying this is the best brewing forum out there.

 

[amber-ale]

So what was the recipe for earwig ale,
and should you add the earwig to the mash or dry hop with it?