Should I Be Able to Smell My Fermenting Beer?

I brewed up my first batch of beer last night, I've got it sitting in a large dark closet. Opened the closet today and it smells like beer. This may be a stupid question, especially given that the airlock has holes in the top that allow bubbles to escape, but...

...should I be able to smell the beer this much without opening it up? I guess I'm just concerned that I haven't sealed it properly. There's a bung snugly in the carboy that has a hole in it, and the airlock is in that hole. Not sure there's anything else I can do. Just thought it was odd that nothing in the instructions mentioned this and I don't seem to see anything in the forums.

Thanks!

It is not uncommon for an off-gassing beer to fill the entire house with beer smells if you let it, even when it's properly sealed.

You're doing just fine.

Thank you for alleviating my newbie paranoia. Side note, it smells really good...

Last Sunday I brewed up two 5 gallon batches. On Monday I had them sitting in the kitchen, fermenting away when my uncle came over and stated that the inside of the house smelled like the south side of Chico (where the Sierra Nevada brewery is located, about 30 minutes away so everyone in the area knows the smell). I took that as a compliment.

joeyjoejoe said:

Side note, it smells really good...

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It smells even better with heavy late-addition hops!

It is better than buying and burning incense. It is a potpourri of goodness that you can drink.

My amber ale blew off such smells that I caught whiffs of it emanating through the hallway on the floor of my apartment building. No complaints from the neighbors yet, and much to my surprise, my wife loves the way it smells. Here's to many more batches to come...

i smelled my one way valve and it sort of smells like iodophor but thats probably because the solution inside the one way valve has it in there... I listened to everyone that said it doesnt cause any off flavors so im crossing my fingers when i say my beer shouldnt taste like iodophor....AH

RippinLt said:

i smelled my one way valve and it sort of smells like iodophor but thats probably because the solution inside the one way valve has it in there... I listened to everyone that said it doesnt cause any off flavors so im crossing my fingers when i say my beer shouldnt taste like iodophor....AH

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Forgive the question please - but did you use the right proportions? I ask because using the wrong proportions can cause some smells and perhaps some off flavors.

Well there wasnt much contact between wort and solution, some drops that didn't dry. The smell is from my one way valve fluid which doesn't come in contact with the wort either so it will be fine. Perhaps after a few days of fermenting the co2 smell will override the iodophors. Who knows.... First batch, I'll do a second soon and compare. Thanks tho, I'll never be offended by a question from someone with advice

The Idophor in your airlock is mixed with water correct?

Yes sir

i had my first batch of my mrbeer kit in an cooler with ice packs and the lid closed, and everytime i opened the cooler the smell was very strong lol.

My basement always smells like whatever brew I happen to be fermenting (right now, Coopers Heritage Lager). I use cheap a** vodka for my airlock.