Smelly Primary Fermenter

[archthered]

I am new to brewing beer and have just moved my third beer from a plastic primary fermenter to a glass carboy secondary. I used a 5 gallon bucket fermenter for my primary, after moving it I cleaned it out but it still smells like my last beer. Although I like the smell I am making a different style of beer next and don't want to make it weird because of the fermenter. Is there anything I can do to get the smell out without resorting to soap like cleaners?

 

[uatuba]

OxyClean Free.

 

[ncbrewer]

I can never get the beer smell out of my fermenter bucket either, but it doesn't seem to cause any problem. Here's another thread that discusses it:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/smell-fermentation-bucket-not-going-away-260299/

 

[BrewerBS]

I have had the same issue before. I was told that it won't affect your next batch. I used StarSan(from a spray bottle) on my fermenter to sanitize it before I added the wort and yeast. After leaving it sit for five minutes or so I looked in the bucket and found that the StarSan had a bit of a color tint to it. I dumped it out and it seemed to have removed the beer and hop smell from the bucked. Haven't brewed since so I only have the one experience to speak from. It's worth a try.

 

[bobot]

If your cleaning/sanitization practices are sound, don't worry about it. I was concerned about the same thing at first, but over 15 batches in the same hop-smelling fermenter, and no problems. I've heard that leaving it in the sun may help with the lingering aroma, but just keep in mind that it's your cleanliness and sanitization that are important. I love my hop smelling bucket, and it's never done me wrong.

 

[jro238]

Same as above, I wouldn't worry about it as long as it's clean.

If you really want to try to get it out and a little soak in starsan doesn't work, you could always try a dilute bleach solution.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

OxyClean Free.

Or the walmart great value brand as it doesn't have the added blue water softener crystals either (though I have used both).

I actually disinfect all my carboys, filters, pumps, lines, etc with oxygen cleaners.

 

[uatuba]

Or the walmart great value brand as it doesn't have the added blue water softener crystals either (though I have used both).

I actually disinfect all my carboys, filters, pumps, lines, etc with oxygen cleaners.

OxyClean Free doesn't have those crystals. Our local Wal-Mart doesn't carry their own brand.

 

[progmac]

i recently did an hour soak with a bleach solution at 1/3 cup in the (6.5 gallon) bucket. this is about 1TBSP/Gallon. It was somewhat effective. The bucket is still discolored and has some smell. I'm going to start to do these more often. You have to be really careful with bleach, because chlorine is not something you want in your beer.

 

[archthered]

Thanks! My first thought was bleach but was worried about bleachy beer. I may try the sun exposure and/or oxyclean. At any rate I'll post results here when I get results.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

OxyClean Free doesn't have those crystals. Our local Wal-Mart doesn't carry their own brand.

Yeah, I did say "either".

Crazy they don't carry the great value brand. Anyways, a lot of chains sell "no name" oxygen cleaner.

 

[jro238]

Thanks! My first thought was bleach but was worried about bleachy beer. I may try the sun exposure and/or oxyclean. At any rate I'll post results here when I get results.

Nothing wrong with oxyclean but just so you know: I used to sanitize everything with bleach when I first began brewing. As long as you rinse it off well, you shouldn't have any problems with a bleach taste.

 

[archthered]

And the results are in. Sun helped but not much, though it may have worked better if I'd done it longer. And Oxy free also decreased the smell but did not completely get rid of it. Additionally like all of those that have had this issue before said, using it did not make my Nut Brown Ale smell like my Pale Ale. Thanks for your comments. Maybe this will help someone else some time.

Just Bottled: Nut Brown
Just Bottled: Dry Dock Breakwater Pale Ale
Primary Fermenter: Air
Secondary Fermenter: Raspberry heather Melomel (mead)
Up Next: Dark Belgian Strong Ale