Man, my bucket smells...

Hey everyone. I finally bottled up my first batch of beer, a Brewer's Best Stout kit. Everything went well; the beer tasted like beer when I sampled, I sterilized everything to the best of my ability, etc etc...

Now I'm noticing that there's a faint tint to my fermenting bucket, like the beer in it slightly dyed the white plastic. The tint ends where the beer did. Also, I'm noticing a lingering beer smell, despite having soaked it in a hot water LD Carlson Easy Clean solution, fully rinsed it, then gave it a good dousing with a Star San solution.

Is this normal? Is there any other process I can use to clean the bucket? Will it affect future brews? Does it even matter?

Thanks everyone!

I started a thread on here based on something similar, not a stout or anything, just a stale hoppy odor lingering in my bucket too. I have cleaned w Oxyclean, PBW and soap and water and it is still there. I am hesitant to bleach because I do not want that odor/flavor to stick around. I have used the bucket a few times and notice no ill effects, but I still prefer to ferment in my glass carboy if I can, paranoia maybe?

Don't worry about it. Hot soak with oxyclean overnight if you want to. Stouts stain plastics. Buckets that hold beer in them for weeks tend to smell like beer. As long as it smells like beer (and not like a$$) brew on.

bigbeergeek said:

Don't worry about it. Hot soak with oxyclean overnight if you want to. Stouts stain plastics. Buckets that hold beer in them for weeks tend to smell like beer. As long as it smells like beer (and not like a$$) brew on.

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Hahaha, fair enough! I figured it was something to this effect, but I had to make sure. It's definitely a beer smell...a delicious beer smell. Thanks for your help. Now to post the obligatory "Can I get my beer to carb faster" Thread...I kid!

seconded. the buckets will always smell weird. it won't carry over to your next batch. just make sure you clean really well, soak if you wanna, and sanitize before you put your next batch in.

All of my buckets have a faint ring around where the beer usually sits, and there is the occasional odor. As long as you clean it well and sanitize before each batch there's not much to worry about.

Been using the same buckets for years. They all smell like beer. No worries, just keep them clean!

Thanks for the help, crew!

flyingfinbar said:

Hahaha, fair enough! I figured it was something to this effect, but I had to make sure. It's definitely a beer smell...a delicious beer smell. Thanks for your help. Now to post the obligatory "Can I get my beer to carb faster" Thread...I kid!

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I was hoping you were going to say delicious beer smell. Call me weird but I love the smell of my brewing buckets.

Wow, it sure does.