Is My Bottling Bucket Usable After Spent Grains Fermented In It?

[Apendecto]

My dad wanted me to save my grains from my last batch to test out a new mash tun he made. I tossed them into my bottling bucket and the grains sat there for a few days...now it's more like a week. I opened the bucket and it smelled like wine and alcohol that burned my nose.

I don't know if it just fermented by natural yeast or if I've got some bacterial thing going on but my main concern is will it contaminate batches I bottle out of it?

Thanks.

 

[lumpher]

i'd soak it in a light bleach solution for a day, then air it for a few more. no worries if you do that

 

[noodle23]

+1 to lumpher, i would just add to use really hot water if you can

 

[DirtyJersey]

You could do the above, and after that, I personally would put some sanitizer in there and let that sit for a day.

 

[LakewoodBrew]

Then just to be safe you can throw used rags in that bottling bucket and buy a new one for brew day. j/k

Sanitization should be the same regimen regardless of whether it was a wild yeast, bacteria or your favorite sacc strain (if it smelled like alcohol principally then it was most likely wild yeast IMHO). It's only a problem if you have scratches or cut in the plastic where nasties can hide.

 

[Apendecto]

Cool. Thanks!