Infestation?

[spacebiscuit]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and new to Home Brewing so please go gentle on me.

I purchased a Wilco stout brewing kit and the necessary paraphernalia to get me up and running. I started my own brew last Sunday, I steralised my fermenting bin as instructed and have followed the instruction to the letter. The bin has been under my stairs where temp is 18-19 degrees.

Instruction said to let the initial fermentation take pace for 6 days before transferring to the second fermentation phase. I was too busy on the weekend so planned to start the second phase tonight (on day 8).

Anyway to my point... today I noticed some maggots on my upstairs landing. I have found a further 10-12 through out the day, curiously mostly in the folds of the carpet on the stairs. Our home is clean so this is quite a surprise and I'm racking my brains trying to pin point the source. I just checked the bin and I found one crawling along the top outside of the lid. I found one other in the cupboard on the floor but no other visible signs of any climbing up inside the cupboard and through to the stairs.

So my question is... are maggots and larvae attracted to the fermenting bin or is my brew the source of the maggots?

I have opened the bin and can't see any obvious signs, I'm not sure if I am being paranoid but if you take a look at the images, I am not sure if these are larvae in development stages, eggs or simply residue?





Any tops or suggestions, I don't want to proceed to stage 2 of fermentation if my brew is ruined!

Thanks,

Bob.

 

[pintofmild]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and new to Home Brweing so please go gentle on me.

I purchased a Wilco stout brewing kit and the necessary paraphernalia to get me up and running. I started my own brew last Sunday, I steralised my fermenting bin as instructed and have followed the instruction to the letter. The bin has been under my stairs where temp is 18-19 degrees.

Instruction said to let the initial fermentation take pace for 6 days before transferring to the second fermentation phase. I was too busy on the weekend so planned to start the second phase tonight (on day 8).

Anyway to my point... today I noticed some maggots on my upstairs landing. I have found a further 10-12 through out the day, curiously mostly in the folds of the carpet on the stairs. Our home is clean so this is quite a surprise and I'm racking my brains trying to pin point the source. I just checked the bin and I found one crawling along the top outside of the lid. I found one other in the cupboard on the floor but no other visible signs of any climbing up inside the cupboard and through to the stairs.

So my question is... are maggots and larvae attracted to the fermenting bin or is my brew the source of the maggots?

I have opened the bin and can't see any obvious signs, I'm not sure if I am being paranoid but if you take a look at the images, I am not sure if these are larvae in development stages, eggs or simply residue?

Any tops or suggestions, I don't want to proceed to stage 2 of fermentation if my brew is ruined!

Thanks,

Bob.

So my question is... are maggots and larvae attracted to the fermenting bin or is my brew the source of the maggots?=== Your brew certainly isn't the source, flies lay their eggs on dead meat, they also hibernate during the winter so you must have had a warm spell to wake them up, or do you have a cat? Brought a mouse in maybe?

if you take a look at the images=== I don't see any,,,, Ahh, see them now, looks like mere gunge, don't worry :thumb:

Hunt for their source (something dead), clear it away and carry on with your brew, maggots are in reality quite clean, they are used in the medical world to eat dead flesh on wounds.
Regards

 

[spacebiscuit]

Sorry I forgot to post the images - now added (click to enlarge).

No pets in the house. I'm doing a bit of building work at the moment, kitchen is half completed, removed an old oven etc.

Thanks.

 

[bigbeefy]

the brew looks fine

you could have a dead mouse or rat etc

follow the trail of maggots they will lead you to the source

 

[rodabod]

Your beer looks totally fine. Try not to open it for too long.

Are you sure these insects in your carpet are not beetle larvae? I had a flat infested with them once, and they eat dust.

 

[spacebiscuit]

Thanks for the re-assurances that it's not my beer!

I went on a hunt and traced the source to my loft hatch! As I opened it there were a hundred or so larvae crawling around the inside rim of the hatch. I jumped up in the loft for a closer insepection but can't find any dead pigeons or rodents and there is no rancid smell so it's a bit of a mystery. Since I cleared the 100 or so up I've not seen any more yet.

So I continued with my brew, transferring the contents form the fermentation bin to the pressure barrel. I couldn't resist trying a little, it was border line acidic, but only very slightly. Is this to be expected at this stage?

Also instruction say to keep in a warm place for 2 days, then a cool dark place for a further 14. If i deviate from these times do i risk my final product. I ask becaase the warmest place would be by a rad but they're not on 24/7.

Thanks in advance.

Rob.

 

[DoctorMick]

Keep it in the warm for two weeks to carbonate, ignore the 2 day advice. It doesn't need to be hugely warm or constant to do the job, I just leave mine in a wardrobe in a spare room for two weeks and I've never had any issues.

 

[spacebiscuit]

Thanks for the advice... I've put it by a rad and covered it with a towel to help radiate the heat. My rads are not too hot, nice even temperature so I'll give it two weeks and then see how it is I guess!

Regards,

Bob.