Pain in my nose when sniffing in a bucket?

SatanPrinceOfDarkness · Oct 5, 2015

So I had just pulled the top off a primary fermentation brew bucket. It's a black IPA at 6.7% alcohol. As I pulled the lid off, I thought it smelled real great (hoppy), and so I leaned in real close, with my nose an inch off the liquid, and inhaled deeply. My head immediately shot back as I felt pain and slight wooziness. Whatever I inhaled was STRONG, and it gave me a sharp pain in my nose. Somewhat like whiffing strong vinegar, or perhaps rubbing alcohol.

After a few minutes I tried again and could not replicate the sensation.

Any theories about what it was? My two guesses are that it was alcohol or CO2.

If you think it might be alcohol, would it matter if they were fusel alcohols? It probably fermented a little hot.

Sammy86 · Oct 5, 2015

Sounds like the sting of CO2 to me...learned my lesson the hard way as well.

GilaMinumBeer · Oct 5, 2015

angrybits · Oct 5, 2015

GilaMinumBeer said:
Co2

The message you have entered is too short.

GilaMinumBeer · Oct 5, 2015

angrybits said:
The message you have entered is too short.

Seeee Ohhhhh Tooooo

bierhund · Oct 5, 2015

Definitely CO2. The symptoms are related to asphyxiation caused by sudden lack of oxygen in your brain. Not sure why you would want to try it again but after a few minutes the gas dispersed and wasn't as concentrated. It's generally a mistake you only make once (did it myself).

hunter_le five · Oct 5, 2015

Yup. CO2. I accidentally inhaled once while leaning into my ferm chamber to remove a fermenter. Instant burning sensation and light-headedness. Won't do that again.

PrinceOfThePoint · Oct 5, 2015

Sometimes I will dip my head into the fermentation freezer, just for a second... To remind me why I appreciate all 21% of the oxygen in the surrounding air...

bierhund · Oct 5, 2015

Side note on the fun of chemicals, found out not too long ago just how strong the acid is in Starsan. Had a leaky bottle on my metal shelf. Needless to say it are through the surface layers. That was a fun find on brew day.

richl025 · Oct 5, 2015

bierhund said:
Definitely CO2. The symptoms are related to asphyxiation caused by sudden lack of oxygen in your brain.

No, asphyxia takes a little longer than that. The discomfort is caused by the fact CO2 forms an acid in body tissues.

If you want to experience asphyxia, breathe pure nitrogen <g>.

slym2none · Oct 5, 2015

Okay!

bierhund · Oct 6, 2015

True I misspoke. I meant hypoxia instead of asphyxiation.

thekraken · Oct 6, 2015

SatanPrinceOfDarkness said:
After a few minutes I tried again

I'm sorry for your trouble but this made me chuckle.

m00ps · Oct 6, 2015

This thread made my day. Do you know the difference between carbon dioxide and the makeup of what is the atmospheric air you breathe? because that would entirely explain it

that being said...i secretly enjoy the burn after 48hrs of sticking a new beer into my fermentation chamber. I try as hard as I can to actually smell those amazing esters...but to no avail. its all carbonic burn in my nostrils...doesnt stop me from being it. every. single. time.

SatanPrinceOfDarkness · Oct 6, 2015

thekraken said:
I'm sorry for your trouble but this made me chuckle.

For science!

Actually I immediately recalled my high school chemistry teacher insisting that you never take a direct whiff of anything in the lab, so I tried to waft the gas towards me. Eventually I have up and stuck my head in again since I could pick up anything.

I'm glad it's more likely to have been CO2 than alcohol.

DaNewf · Oct 7, 2015

Stuck my head into my chest freezer fermentation chamber to reposition the STC-1000 sensor.

Nose and throat started burning. Eyes stung and watered.

Jump on HBT. Create new thread. "Am I going to die?"

Response from all. "CO2, don't sweat it, go have a beer."

Feel like less of an idiot every time I see a similar thread pop up.

richl025 · Oct 11, 2015

bierhund said:
True I misspoke. I meant hypoxia instead of asphyxiation.

Same thing for these purposes. Hypoxia is quite painless. Hypercarbia is what causes people to have distress.

njviking · Oct 12, 2015

SatanPrinceOfDarkness said:
So I had just pulled the top off a primary fermentation brew bucket. It's a black IPA at 6.7% alcohol. As I pulled the lid off, I thought it smelled real great (hoppy), and so I leaned in real close, with my nose an inch off the liquid, and inhaled deeply. My head immediately shot back as I felt pain and slight wooziness. Whatever I inhaled was STRONG, and it gave me a sharp pain in my nose. Somewhat like whiffing strong vinegar, or perhaps rubbing alcohol.

After a few minutes I tried again and could not replicate the sensation.

Any theories about what it was? My two guesses are that it was alcohol or CO2.

If you think it might be alcohol, would it matter if they were fusel alcohols? It probably fermented a little hot.

To me its one of many great pleasures I get from home brewing. I do it all the time and judge my beer fermentation from it.

But I also eat straight wasabi.

as the saying goes......Ymmv....

CoopDAmusS · Oct 12, 2015

Yep thats the good ol co2 burn

Pain in my nose when sniffing in a bucket?

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