Getting beer smell out of bucket

This may sound odd, but how the hell do I get the beer smell out of my primary bucket? I've soaked with C-brite, oxyclean, and bleach and yet it still lingers!

This concerns me because I hope I don't have any nooks in my bucket bacteria can hide in. Is this smell normal?

I've read that you should soak the vessel in a soloution of water and baking soda. I really don't know the ratio but I used a 1tbsp per gallon earlier today and it almost worked. Try 2tbsp per gallon.

Let it reek (as long as it's clean that is) 1 beer won't pick up the smell from another.

If you're making wine the keep them seperate but if it's all beer then just soak in oxyclean to clean and call it good

happy brewing

Yes, it is normal. But to be certain it is the bucket you are smelling, leave it outside overnight, then check it.

In all seriousness after you wash it lay it down. If you stand it up the smell stays longer. If you lay it down it it seems to go away. Really. I'm not pulling your leg.

But after a while you can't get rid of it until you buy a new one. I have about 4 buckets that are over 13 years old.

I normally soak mine in water and dish detergent or oxyclean or anything that cleans the bucket... but I let it soak literally for 2-3 days sometimes with the lid on - as long as I don't need the bucket before. Each day I'll grab the bucket and shake the soap/cleanser into solution until I see a bunch of bubbles, repeat for 2-3 days, dump and clean again.

My buckets don't smell like old batches of beer...

i've done a baking soda soak over night...seemed to help, and baking soda is hella cheap

Oxiclean is sodium precarbonate and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)

I'll confirm the baking soda deal. This is what I do when I get cornie kegs to rid them of the soda aroma. Leave overnight, dump, rinse, good as new.

Nice. I'll give baking soda a try and report back.

To be honest, now it kinda smells like feet or ass...hard to explain...almost like 100 farts got in a fight with 100 feet and the feet won.

I'm kinda stuck here too. I always used carboys which clean easy, but bought a bucket for my Hefe with oranges. I just did the one batch, it sat in there for 10 days, and I can't get the freakin smell out. I want to use the bucket to store grains, but i'm afraid the grains will take on some of the "Hefe" smell. I've already soaked it for a few days in oxyclean, then a few days in one-step with no luck.

Think the grains would take on the smell? Or do I now have a permanent Hefe fermenter?

Steps for removing bad smell from a bucket fermenter.

Step 1: Discard primary bucket
Step 2: Replace with 6 gallon carboy

Lol Sorry, but I really think carboys are the way to go, just not worth the fooling around for a $10 savings in the short run.

I can see wanting to get rid of a bad smell. But if it smelled like beer what does it matter?

bigjohnmilford said:

I can see wanting to get rid of a bad smell. But if it smelled like beer what does it matter?

Click to expand...

I am with you on this one. What's wrong with beer taking on the smell of .... Beer.

I was just thinking I didn't want to get the funky clove/hefe smell in any or my pale's or lighter beers. It's a good smell in a hefe no doubt, but I'm just scared that it will complicate another style. I'll prob use the bucket to drain oil or something so I don't mess up an entire batch.

And yup, first time using a bucket, only because I was adding fruit. In the future, I'll make the fruit fit in the carboy!