Fermenter smell?

[Ron_Blackhurst]

Is my fermenting bucket always going to have a beer smell after I clean it or do I need to scrub more?

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[twistr25]

Mine always does, and it smells delicious!

You might be able to soak it in some OxyClean, may help reduce the smell, but it shouldn't hurt anything. Be careful about scrubbing to hard, you can create scrapes in the plastic that nasties like to hide in.

 

[homebrewmike]

I've scrubbed mine, bleached it, scrubbed it again and then swithed to a glass carboy. I've heard that there is a limit on the number of batches that a plastic fermenter can do, but I'm not sure what that number is.

 

[Rockn_M]

I just soak mine in hot water with some oxyclean free for a few hours. No problems.

 

[Desvio]

Plastic buckets have thier use (bottling or emergencies), but I am old fashioned and set in my ways of using glass carboys for most of the work. And yeah most of my stuff has a lingering odor that I find pretty awesome.

 

[opiate82]

I just soak mine in hot water with some oxyclean free for a few hours. No problems.

QFT.

An oxiclean (or Supercharged Oxiclean) soak will solve all your troubles.

 

[Hello]

An overnight soak in oxyclean reduces smell but never takes it away fully. There is absolutely no scrubbing of anything plastic that I own for brewing. May as well spit in your beer and hope for the best when you're using scrub brushes/sponges on your plastic fermenters.

There's no real evidence in my beers that the smell of a bucket has imparted unwanted flavors in other beers. The true test was a pale ale fermented in a bucket that held pumpkin spice beer for 2 months.

 

[Rockn_M]

QFT.

An oxiclean (or Supercharged Oxiclean) soak will solve all your troubles.

I just might have to try this out.

 

[kewlceo]

It just means that your next batch of beer will also smell like beer. :cross:

Seriously though, if you're thinking of using the bucket for making something other than beer, then I can see why you'd be concerned.

Good luck,
Rick

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

It just means that your next batch of beer will also smell like beer

Good luck,
Rick

Hahahaha!!! I don't care if it's smells I'm just hoping it's clean enough. I just use a scent free dish soap and wash it with a rag.

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[GASoline71]

Don't "scrub" the bucket. If you scratch the inside of it you might as well use it as a gardening bucket.

Just cuz it has a slight odor of "beer" doesn't mean it's not clean. I soak mine for 2 days with PBW, and they still have a slight smell of "beer" and a slight off white tint to them. They brew beer just fine.

Gary