5 gal used pickle bucket as primary

[volktc]

Good idea? bad idea? Think i could ever get the pickle taint out?

 

[kevokie]

It would be a good idea for batches less than 5 gallons, gotta remember that you will have krausen with fermentation. As for the pickle smell, yeah it should come out with soaking in soapy water and bleach.

 

[Gear101]

Does it have a recycle number on the bottom side?

With some oxy/sany you might be able too?

 

[Ramitt]

everything I have read points to not getting the smell out, but really what do you have to lose trying.

 

[volktc]

I might pick one up for those 2.5 batches. i got a sub shop (firehouse subs) that sells em for 2 bucks!

 

[Ramitt]

you maybe better off trying bakeries for icing buckets, less potential smell issues.

 

[RM-MN]

If you want pickle flavored beer, use a pickle bucket. Otherwise just pitch them. Pickle doesn't ever clean up from a pickle bucket.

The big box lumber yards sell clean food grade buckets for less than $5 and a lid might be around $2. Why screw up a batch of beer for a lousy $7?

 

[mrpontiac66]

I have been using bottling buckets for my primaries, I entered my last beer into a competition and found out there is an overwhelming phenol aroma and taste. my sanitation is always been good, I cleaned out the buckets with bleach and sanitized with star san. I noticed that the buckets still have the same smell that the beer has. they don't always clean up completely.

 

[wailingguitar]

For the cost of a new, unused food grade bucket, I don't think fooling with the pickle bucket would be worth it.

 

[Revvy]

Sorry but the one thing that can't be gotten out of buckets to use them for brewing is pickles....I don't think you'll find one success story in all these threads. The pickling brine penertrates way too deep into the plastic.

And probably the olives as well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-bucket-173350/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-buckets-144485/?highlight=pickle

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-taste-bourbon-stout-132670/?highlight=pickle

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-bucket-grist-104109/?highlight=pickle

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-bucket-85010/?highlight=pickle

As all the above threads have shown, even multiple soakings of oxyclean won't work....If it were that easy there wouldn't be so many threads.

As much as I am all for scrounging, recycling and repurposing, and finding free stuff for our hobby. I have to say pickle buckets really just need to be passed by. Get yourself some frosting buckets, or even soy sauce buckets from the local chinese takeaway, but not anything with vinegar, it's an acid and will penetrate the bucket.

Look for frosting or soy sauce buckets, or go get white hdpe buckets from lowes or had....

 

[RM-MN]

I have been using bottling buckets for my primaries, I entered my last beer into a competition and found out there is an overwhelming phenol aroma and taste. my sanitation is always been good, I cleaned out the buckets with bleach and sanitized with star san. I noticed that the buckets still have the same smell that the beer has. they don't always clean up completely.

There are several sources for the phenols. Do a bit of research. I think you'll find the problem in the fermentation.

 

[volktc]

Thanks for the research remy. I've abadonned the pickle bucket idea

 

[FrizzleFry]

I was going to try that in the beginning, a friend of mine got me a couple for free from the restaurant he worked at. The lids didn't seal very well, and I never quite got the smell out. I use one to store a star-san mix though, its fine for that.