Bottling bucket smell

Hikeon3 · 06-13-2008, 07:19 PM

So my first batch got bottled about two weeks ago. I've popped two of them and although I am pleased, there is an off-flavor which I can't diagnose beyond doubt. The caps I used were very old and smelled kind of sweet/metallic so I had them soaking in a light solution of iodophor before I used them. So a little bit of iodine flavor is also in the beer. Not awesome.

But today I grabbed my red ale (2nd brew) and am preparing to bottle. But as I was washing out my bottling bucket I note that some of the off-flavor in my first brew smells an awful lot like the inside of the bottling bucket (kind of a sweet smell, like the caps had been sitting in the bucket for a few years, which maybe they have).

Anyways, my question is can the bucket be transferring a weird flavor to the beer I'm just bottling from it? I mean, the beer is only in contact with it for maybe 30-40 minutes between siphoning and filling.

Secondly, could I possibly attribute the off-flavor in the first beer to the bottle caps/the iodophor solution I had them soaking in right up to the point of capping?

tdavisii · 06-13-2008, 09:18 PM

I would say yes it could be the bucket or the caps. There are a lot of things that it could be. I would say if your bucket and caps smell, obviously there are some little wee beasties livin in there. I soak my buckets with bleach water over night. Still though buckets are notoriously hard to keep clean over a long period of time.

Hikeon3 · 06-13-2008, 09:32 PM

Yeah I inherited this bucket from a long-time brewer. He used to make root beer in it. I think that's the smell/taste, I just don't know how to get it out of this bucket. I tried bleach and oxy-clean to no avail.

**GilaMinumBeer** · 06-13-2008, 09:57 PM

Root beer is notorius for fouling up beer. Kegging brewers actually go to great lengths to remove any plastics that have been in contact with RB because of this, even tho' said kegging parts are small and have little contact with the beer.

I say drop the ~10 on a new bucket.

malkore · 06-13-2008, 11:52 PM

oh, no way can you reuse a plastic bucket that had rootbeer in it for beer purposes. rootbeer extract permanently stinks-up plastic and rubber gaskets on kegs.

tdavisii · 06-14-2008, 05:36 PM

Im done using buckets. I am strictly using glass carboys now. I noticed my buckets have a little bit of a smell even after a overnight soak. That has to tell me there are particals stuck in the plastic or something like that.

Righlander · 06-14-2008, 05:41 PM

I have a 6 1/2 gallon glass carboy and 3 plastic 7 gallon fermenters . I noticed one of my fermenters smells like cascade hops no matter what i do it smells like that. But I still use it and it doesn't transfer the flavor. I just hate cleaning the big carboys.

Hikeon3 · 06-15-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Righlander

I have a 6 1/2 gallon glass carboy and 3 plastic 7 gallon fermenters . I noticed one of my fermenters smells like cascade hops no matter what i do it smells like that. But I still use it and it doesn't transfer the flavor. I just hate cleaning the big carboys.

I always preface my advice with the fact that I'm no expert and very much a newbie. But cleaning the carboys can be pretty easy with some oxy clean, a hose, and a carboy brush. I just let my carboy soak for a day with oxy clean in it, then use the brush to scrubs the sides. Spotless every time and a cinch to do.

As for the bucket, I think I'm in for a new one. I'm doing a hot hot bleach soak for a few days here to see if I can pull off any elimination of odor. I just bottled in it the other day with fresher caps so we'll see how that comes out. Even if this batch does have that weird off-sweet-rootbeer-flavor to it, it's still drinkable and I've lost nothing.