Does CO2 make you guys nauseous?

Currently, the carbon footprint of my chest freezer is probably as large as a small jet.

I have three carboys of Apfelwein absolutely chugging, a belgin triple that is still leaking occasionally, and a pale ale that is in full swing.

I opened the freezer this morning to check activity, and I almost vomited. It doesn't smell bad really, but my body's reaction to breathing that stuff was "No thank you."

Just me?

On a side note, I'm thinking about moving some potted plants close to my freezer.

BeerAg said:

Currently, the carbon footprint of my chest freezer is probably as large as a small jet.

I have three carboys of Apfelwein absolutely chugging, a belgin triple that is still leaking occasionally, and a pale ale that is in full swing.

I opened the freezer this morning to check activity, and I almost vomited. It doesn't smell bad really, but my body's reaction to breathing that stuff was "No thank you."

Just me?

On a side note, I'm thinking about moving some potted plants close to my freezer.

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The CO2 will make you gag from suffocation. The sulfur smell of the apfelwien will make you gag because it stinks. The combination in high concentrations will probably curl your nose hairs.

Nobody said fermentation was pretty.

Nothing like oxygen displacement in the lungs to get you going in the morning!

I hear you on the CO2 making you sickly. Now I use a fan on my cooler before I stick my head in there. I almost passed out once in a walk-in when I was at the brewpub. I opened a serving tank man-way to clean it out and blam! Not fun, not to mention my eyes afterwords looked like I ripped an entire Bob Marley joint or something. I like the plant idea, and might have to put one close as well (knowing it really isn't doing much). My future plans are to plumb my fermentation CO2 into a "needing to be purged" keg and then I at least subtract a little more than I normally use. I need to build a greenhouse, that would be way cool to have them side by side.

Yup, stuck my head in the freezer and took a big whiff, burned the nose and made me dizzy for a while. I'm more careful now.

Yep, stuck my head int the chest freezer / kegerator, and almost passed out.

LOL, they really should warn more people about that. LOL, it is just so funny that we breath that stuff out too. Wish I could produce my own alcohol to go along with my respiration.

It's the apfelwein, brother! I just started my first batch recently and it smelled good the first day of airlock bubbling... but DAMN--now that it's in day four it REEKS!

BeerAg said:

Currently, the carbon footprint of my chest freezer is probably as large as a small jet.

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This is almost true... For what it's worth, the CO2 being produced is all sustainable - that is to say, it's being produced from the sugars of this past year's crops, barley and apples in this case. The issue of sustainability becomes problematic when you're burning fossil fuels which have been stored up under ground for many thousands of years, throwing off the balance.

Other than the heat necessary to brew, beer itself is rather sustainable, and the CO2 produced should go back into this coming year's plants (ideally more barley and apples, or maybe hops would be more appropriate at this time)...

But yes, don't lean in too far, I forget every few batches and stick my head in the brew bucket, only to gag and cough like crazy. Plants would help.... I've heard of brew pubs with plans to put a greenhouse on the back to grow vegetables for the restaurant with, all fed off of the fermentation tanks - clever idea.

kvh

Y'all be careful poking your noses into confined spaces filled with gas you can't breathe. I've never heard of anyone passing out (or worse) from CO2 in a fermentation cabinet, but I suppose it could happen.

Come to think of it, after I drink a whole bunch of beers, I do feel a little queasy; it must be the CO2!

I just blow out my chest lagerator with a fan because it stings my eyes so bad.

wortmonger said:

I just blow out my chest lagerator with a fan because it stings my eyes so bad.

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CO2 plus water = carbonic acid. Not as bad as onions (onion vapors + tears = sulfuric acid) but enough to make the eyes tingle.

I toured a winery in the fall once and they had some large vessels very actively fermenting. It made my pulse race - the CO2 that is. It's another classic reponse to CO2. You are getting less O2, so your heart speeds up to increase gas exchange in your lungs in an attempt to get more O2

Didn't you guys learn to waft in science class??

Ha just kiddin' around...