Strange smell in fermenter?

Well, this may be nothing, but i was wondering if anyone else experiences this...when i open my fermenter just before bottling, i have a habit of taking a whiff to see what ive got. For my last few brews, ive been met with a snootful of some kind of burning smell? Its not even just a smell it actually kindof burns my nose some...smells kindof hot almost. Is this possibly from fusel alcohol? Or is it just the "gas blanket" thats been hovering over my beer. Beer seems to taste ok in spite of this.
Thanks!

It's just the CO2 you are inhaling - a sharp, somewhat burning smell. Fusels tend to be solvent/nailpolish-like.

That CO2 can be pretty nasty! I learned the hard way that you don't stick your head in the chest freezer where your beer has been fermenting away. It felt like I burned all my nose hairs off.

mojotele said:

That CO2 can be pretty nasty! I learned the hard way that you don't stick your head in the chest freezer where your beer has been fermenting away. It felt like I burned all my nose hairs off.

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Just kinda curious so I gotta ask, why would you put your head in the freezer? :cross:

KevinW said:

Just kinda curious so I gotta ask, why would you put your head in the freezer? :cross:

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have to get the carboy out some how.

Haha thanks all. I was really starting to sweat that...really does feel like its burning you nasal passages! Guess ill just have to learn not to sniff

TipsyDragon said:

have to get the carboy out some how.

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Yeap! That time, though, I was actually checking the temperature on the little stick on liquid crystal thermometer.