Fruit flies in my starter

[Jonnycheech]

Took my 1L starter of WLP007 out of the fridge this morning in preparation for a brew later on and found two fruit flies suffering from extreme alcohol poisoning floating at the top. Obviously I have to throw this but it hurts. Lesson learnt though; tinfoil with a rubber band over a conical is not enough to keep these little feckers out. I will be buying an airlock or using some muslin next time.

Still eager to brew though and I have two options:

1) a packet of dried nottingham yeast that is 6 months past it's used by date, although it has been kept in the fridge for the last year.

2) a vial of WLP001 California ale yeast. But is this ok to pitch without making a starter. The beer isn't too big OG 1.055, but it isn't small either.

Any thoughts?

[Ciderhead]

Nottingham
The vial needs a starter
Starters need O2 don't use airlock or bubbler


Sent from my Fukushima Daiichi Geiger counter

[Jonnycheech]

Cheers Ciderhead, I'll go with the Nottingham so. I'm trying an extract Punk clone so I'm not sure if it will work out as well as the WP007 but I can always start another in a few weeks.

I have read before, I think in Palmer's How to Brew, that you can use an airlock when making a starter, no? Obviously once the wort is well aerated before hand.

[Ciderhead]

I have heard half a dozen podcasts where palmer and others changed their mind as 02 is required and tin foil is preferred solution
I now gas my starters

[delzep]

I've used vials for gravities around that loads of times without a starter and its been fine...fresher the vial the better though

[Will_D]

Was posted elsewhere so noy my idea:

Give the FFF's ( Fruit Fly Feckers ) something even more tasty and easy to access:

FF Trap:
  Jam jar with a 1/4 malt vinegar, 1/4 water, 1 drop of Fairy liquid.

FFF are attracted to rotting fruit (vinegar smell) so they fly into the jar, land on the liquid and because of the Fairy liquid ZERO surface tension so they drown!

A jar or two near beers/wines/bio bins/brown bins will have a significant effect

[Jonnycheech]

I have heard half a dozen podcasts where palmer and others changed their mind as 02 is required and tin foil is preferred solution
I now gas my starters

Ah, that's good to know CH. I'll probably try a muslin cloth so or rob a bit of pantyhose off the better half, with the tin foil over that. Although that might not be necessary if I use Wil-D's jam jar method which should do the trick. Hopefully the FFFs won't be about too much longer with the drop in temperature recently.

I'm thinking of getting myself some of that pure O2 myself. Have people noticed much of a difference in the quality/speed of their fermentations/starters?

[Ciderhead]

Christhebrewer please advise as per our discussion


Sent from my Fukushima Daiichi Geiger counter

[Ciderhead]

Just get a few starters going and used a bag of Muntons Light DME that I picked up from the UK.
Not impressed by the amount of crud that came off in the boil tho, it looks like dead flies Yeach!

[imark]

I've had those with DME also. Not unusual and still works.

BTW...You've reminded me I need to get some starter made up. Better put this glass of Rochefort 8 down and crack on.

[Will_D]

@CH: looks like you are boiling on a gas stove!

Please use a diffuser of some sorts (the old wire gauze on the tripod with de bunsen burner underneath type thing from secondary school labs) (Just you can't get the ASBESTOS circles any more  )

A single impinging gas flame on a pyrex flask CAN crack it!

I speak from bitter experience as did a few others from Shinny's GB!

No wire gauze/ a bit of ss plate or copper will do.

Oh and BTW: In university what did we use for a final wask of our glassware in the organic lab?

Yes - Benzene!

The year after I left it was classified as a major carcinogen - but S**t it smelt good

[Ciderhead]

Yep considered the gauze but I stew very low its on the lowest heat setting just enough to boil that I can set and haven't had an issue yet in 40 starters, I'm sure its coming tho

Oh go on then
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/High-Quality-Ceramic-Centre-Metal-Mesh-Wire-Lab-Gauze-for-Bunsen-Burner-/231079607088?pt=UK_BOI_Medical_Lab_Equipment_Lab_Equipment_ET&hash=item35cd6afb30

[Will_D]

GB??

I love it (    ) when the postage exceeds the price of the article!