I have a 5 gallon batch of Concord grape wine in the primary right now and
for some reason I have a fruit fly problem (first time ever). I have no idea
where they came from but every time I think I've killed them all I discover
5 or 6 more. The must has been fermenting since late Sunday night and the
fruit flies have been here since about Tuesday afternoon. I'm worried they
will expose the must to vinegar bacteria and ruin the batch. I'm not sure at
what amount of alcohol the wine will be safe either. Actually I need to
check the SG tonight to see where it's at too.

Thanks, Jon.
--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

Yeah, I'm haveing a big problem with them myself, there seems to be
more and more around, no matter how much I clean the area. I have my
primarys and secondarys under airlocks with sulfitied water -- more
than half full. Only one has managed to drown itself in the airlock so
far.

I did a google groups search of this newsgroup when I firstg noticed
the problem.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.c...rch+this+group
Most people don't agree with the adage that the fruit fly is the only
source of vinegar bacteria, or that the furit fly laning is a hopeless
inoculation with mother of vinegar. Just try to keep them out.

I tried one trick I read: I put some must in a wine bottle to trap
them. That didn't really work well, only caught a couple in each. In
an open glass, I was able to drown a couple dozen in a day and a half,
but I barely made a dent in the population. So now I just keep wiping
surfaces around my wines with bleach cleanser. I'll get those little
*******s yet.

Yeah, I'm having a big problem with them myself, there seems to be more
and more around, no matter how much I clean the area. I have my
primarys and secondarys under airlocks with sulfitied water -- more
than half full, so they can't get in. Only one has managed to drown
itself in an airlock so far.

I did a google groups search of this newsgroup when I first noticed the
problem.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.c...rch+this+group
Most people don't agree with the adage that the fruit fly is the only
source of vinegar bacteria, or that one fruit fly landing is a hopeless
inoculation with mother of vinegar. Just try to keep them out, and we
should be fine.

I tried one trick I read: I put some must in a wine bottle to trap
them. That didn't really work well, only caught a couple in each. In
an open glass, I was able to drown a couple dozen in a day and a half,
but I barely made a dent in the population. So now I just keep wiping
surfaces around my wines with bleach cleanser. I'll get those little
*******s yet -- drinking my wine without putting any effort in
whatsoever, who do they think they are anyway?

Thanks for the reply. The alcohol content is about 6.7% right now so I think
the wine is still too weak to be safe. I thought you needed just over 10%
for it to be ok but Jack Keller's site says you need it to be at least 12.7%
to last... I'll just hope for the best and let it ferment as usual. The odd
thing is, I've never ever had a problem with bugs before.

Jon.
--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

wrote in message
oups.com...
Yeah, I'm having a big problem with them myself, there seems to be more
and more around, no matter how much I clean the area. I have my
primarys and secondarys under airlocks with sulfitied water -- more
than half full, so they can't get in. Only one has managed to drown
itself in an airlock so far.

I did a google groups search of this newsgroup when I first noticed the
problem.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.c...rch+this+group
Most people don't agree with the adage that the fruit fly is the only
source of vinegar bacteria, or that one fruit fly landing is a hopeless
inoculation with mother of vinegar. Just try to keep them out, and we
should be fine.

I tried one trick I read: I put some must in a wine bottle to trap
them. That didn't really work well, only caught a couple in each. In
an open glass, I was able to drown a couple dozen in a day and a half,
but I barely made a dent in the population. So now I just keep wiping
surfaces around my wines with bleach cleanser. I'll get those little
*******s yet -- drinking my wine without putting any effort in
whatsoever, who do they think they are anyway?

no biggie, keep the vacuum cleaner handy and when you seem them just vacuum
them up. it really works.

--
billb
"Jon Foster" wrote in message
...
I have a 5 gallon batch of Concord grape wine in the primary right now and
for some reason I have a fruit fly problem (first time ever). I have no
idea
where they came from but every time I think I've killed them all I
discover
5 or 6 more. The must has been fermenting since late Sunday night and the
fruit flies have been here since about Tuesday afternoon. I'm worried they
will expose the must to vinegar bacteria and ruin the batch. I'm not sure
at
what amount of alcohol the wine will be safe either. Actually I need to
check the SG tonight to see where it's at too.

Thanks, Jon.
--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

1) You can buy flying insect spray for fruit flies. I don't care what the
brand or the price -- THEY DO NOT WORK! No effect what so ever on the
supper fruit flies in my area.
2) 5 or 6 a day? If you ever visit a winery when they are crushing grapes
you will find out what a fruit fly infestation really is. They are there in
clouds. They are landing on everything. And the wine comes out OK.
3) Even if they do inoculate your wine, and they certainly can, that does
not mean it will turn to vinegar unless you use really bad wine making
techniques. To turn to vinegar, the wine must be exposed to air for a
really long time. Months. If no air, no vinegar. Read up on how vinegar
is made. You start with wine, you inoculate it heavily (not with a few
fruit flies), and then you wait for months.
4) Cleanliness helps but they are drawn to the smell of the fruit. When
you get it in secondary and have the area clean, they will start to
disappear -- in a few days.
5) Make sure you do not have other fruit such as bananas or apples for
eating in the area. Once they are drawn to the wine making they will stay
for other fruit.

Ray

"Jon Foster" wrote in message
...
I have a 5 gallon batch of Concord grape wine in the primary right now and
for some reason I have a fruit fly problem (first time ever). I have no
idea
where they came from but every time I think I've killed them all I
discover
5 or 6 more. The must has been fermenting since late Sunday night and the
fruit flies have been here since about Tuesday afternoon. I'm worried they
will expose the must to vinegar bacteria and ruin the batch. I'm not sure
at
what amount of alcohol the wine will be safe either. Actually I need to
check the SG tonight to see where it's at too.

Thanks, Jon.
--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

Jon, do a google search on this group and you'll see a wealth of info
on this topic. I've never been able to fully eliminate fruit flies,
but you can do a few tasks that'll keep the populations down:

1. Make a homemade fly trap. Pour wine or juice into an open-mouth
container, and add a drop or two of liquid soap. Stir, then wait for
them to get trapped in the liquid. Change out the wine or juice as
needed.
2. Do your crushing/destemming outside, and immediately throw out all
of the waste (stems, leaves, crates and fallen grapes).
3. Put a rigid top on your fermentor. It should allow gas to escape
under pressure, but not allow in the critters into your fermenting
grapes.
4. Keep you winemaking area super-clean. Wash you cap punch-down tool
after each use. Store used wine bottles outside.
5. If you have an open window to vent the CO2, place a fan in the
window that blows out. It'll move the CO2 and flies out, and help
prevent the bugs from getting in.

Happy Hunting, -David

Qoute.... 1. Make a homemade fly trap. Pour wine or juice into an
open-mouth
container, and add a drop or two of liquid soap. Stir, then wait for
them to get trapped in the liquid. Change out the wine or juice as
needed........end quote.

And just in case anyone wonders why the dish soap in the recipe?.....it
breaks the "surface tension" of the water and as they land on the
surface of the juice expecting to float ....they can't and they sink
and drown.It works perfectly....and yes it works great for wasps as
well.....andy j.

David touches on something that I meant to say. The fan is a good idea. If
there are any fruitflys around, when you work on your wine use a good strong
fan to blow in the area you are working. Those little fruit flies have to
take cover if there is any wind and they will not bother you. Any work on
my wine I do in the house, racking, blending, etc., is done under a ceiling
fan.

Ray

"David D." wrote in message
ups.com...
Jon, do a google search on this group and you'll see a wealth of info
on this topic. I've never been able to fully eliminate fruit flies,
but you can do a few tasks that'll keep the populations down:

1. Make a homemade fly trap. Pour wine or juice into an open-mouth
container, and add a drop or two of liquid soap. Stir, then wait for
them to get trapped in the liquid. Change out the wine or juice as
needed.
2. Do your crushing/destemming outside, and immediately throw out all
of the waste (stems, leaves, crates and fallen grapes).
3. Put a rigid top on your fermentor. It should allow gas to escape
under pressure, but not allow in the critters into your fermenting
grapes.
4. Keep you winemaking area super-clean. Wash you cap punch-down tool
after each use. Store used wine bottles outside.
5. If you have an open window to vent the CO2, place a fan in the
window that blows out. It'll move the CO2 and flies out, and help
prevent the bugs from getting in.

Happy Hunting, -David

Of course, that will also kick up micros in dust particles.

IMO I do not see that as a big improvement, either you let the fruit
flies innoculate your wine with acetobacter, or you do it yourself by
blowing dust into it.

3) Even if they do inoculate your wine, and they certainly can, that does
not mean it will turn to vinegar unless you use really bad wine making
techniques. To turn to vinegar, the wine must be exposed to air for a
really long time. Months. If no air, no vinegar. Read up on how vinegar
is made. You start with wine, you inoculate it heavily (not with a few
fruit flies), and then you wait for months.

I don't know any more about vinegar than has been covered here in this
group, but this raised a question for me, based on what I had read in
older posts.

Here, we say that it's really tough to start making vinegar, but
previously, I remember reading that once you start making vinegar, you
don't want to make wine anywhere near there for fear of inoculating the
new wine. I wouldn't figure these two statements match up.

I don't make vinegar, and don't expect to, but I'm just curious about
this.

Rob

David,
Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your homemade fruit fly trap
recipe - works like a charm. I've killed a bunch already. Thanks.
Darlene

"David D." wrote in message
ups.com...
Jon, do a google search on this group and you'll see a wealth of info
on this topic. I've never been able to fully eliminate fruit flies,
but you can do a few tasks that'll keep the populations down:

1. Make a homemade fly trap. Pour wine or juice into an open-mouth
container, and add a drop or two of liquid soap. Stir, then wait for
them to get trapped in the liquid. Change out the wine or juice as
needed.
2. Do your crushing/destemming outside, and immediately throw out all
of the waste (stems, leaves, crates and fallen grapes).
3. Put a rigid top on your fermentor. It should allow gas to escape
under pressure, but not allow in the critters into your fermenting
grapes.
4. Keep you winemaking area super-clean. Wash you cap punch-down tool
after each use. Store used wine bottles outside.
5. If you have an open window to vent the CO2, place a fan in the
window that blows out. It'll move the CO2 and flies out, and help
prevent the bugs from getting in.

Happy Hunting, -David

Hey Dar V, long time no talk! How did all of those Jack Keller frozen
concentrate wines turn out? Have you drank them all yet? I still have at
least 6 of them under airlocks from a year or two back...

Jon.

--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

Well the first batch of Concord Grape wine went into secondary tonight and
as far as I can tell it's just fine. It tastes fine (for the stage it's at)
but it's a little lighter in color than I thought it should be. We started a
second fermentation on the pulp from the first batch tonight too. The area
is still super clean but those damn fruit flies just keep on multiplying!
There's at least 4 flying around the new batch right now but we'll just ride
it out again and see what happens.

Thanks for all the input everyone!

Jon.
--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

Hello,
Yes, its been awhile - my youngest daughter graduated from high school in
June, and then my other 2 daughters moved into an apartment at college, so I
spent most of my summer hunting down cheap furniture or redoing furniture
for their apartment and then getting them all out of the house to college in
August. And then, since I was a bit bored I managed to get a part-time job.
SOooooo, I'm still making wine (and drinking it). My Welch's and old Orchard
wines all come out pretty good, but then I wait until they are 1 1/2 -2
years old before I drink them. Most of my friends & relatives like them. I
still have a few bottles around - I don't think I've ever had a bad bottle.
How about you? tried them yet?
Darlene
Wisconsin

"Jon Foster" wrote in message
...
Hey Dar V, long time no talk! How did all of those Jack Keller frozen
concentrate wines turn out? Have you drank them all yet? I still have at
least 6 of them under airlocks from a year or two back...

Jon.

--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad