Contamination during chilling

Ok, I’m pretty new to the game still and I brewed an extract batch (XPA) 2 days ago. Boil went as expected, got to cooling and was excited to use my new immersion wort chiller. Dang, it works much faster than ice in the sink. However, I like to brew outside so I don’t monopolize the kitchen on brew day. While I had the wort chiller in the kettle, a friggin fly decided he liked beer, too! He didn’t land in the beer, but on the inside of the now cool kettle. He was only there for a second, but I know it only takes an instant to add unwanted bacteria to a batch. So, what to do and how do you avoid getting various unwanted crap in your beer during chilling?

I’d squeeze the bugger to make sure he didn’t make off with any of my wort!

Seriously, wouldn’t sweat it to be honest.

Now if you have fruit flies buzzing around your fermenter that’s another thing…

3 Likes

I guess it’s technically racist, but it’s my own heritage, so I’lll just own it. The response reminds me of an old joke…

A Brit, an Irishman, and a Scot go out to a pub and order 3 pints. They each find a fly floating on the top of their mugs.

The Brit says, “Bartender, can I have a spoon?” and quietly removes the fly from his brew.

The Irishman says, “Get out of there!” and flicks the fly away with a finger.

The Scot picks up the fly with his fingers and says, “Alright ya wee bastard. Spit it out. Now!”

3 Likes

I wouldn’t worry about it. We have all had some kind of PIA flying insect get in the wort. I have not heard of anyone that had contamination from it.

@jmck No PC worries with that. If we all could learn to laugh at ourselves more often there would be less problems.

5 Likes

Thousands of years ago, when I bottled, had the bucket in my arms, wife was preparing a place for me to set it down, a fruit fly landed in the now primed young beer… It did turn sour during the carbonating process… :disappointed: I’m glad I didn’t bail out on brewing… Sneezles61

Ok, cool. I’m guessing I’ll finish off my ferment and try it before I keg it just to make sure it didn’t sour. Thanks for your advice and laughs!:laughing:

Dont sweat it. I heard a basic brewing radio episode where a guy was chilling a batch outside when a bird flew over the kettle and ended up pooping into the wort. Kind of hilarious but he ending up dumping it and that’s a sad day with the time and effort put into brewing. I wouldn’t worry about a fly before the yeast is pitched.

Did you know birds have only one hole for #1 and #2? Combo Pac

1 Like

Lucky ducks.

1 Like

What if he just came off your dog’s shit pile??? :thinking:

It’s probably an underpitch but now that’s in your head