What is the correct amount o bleach to mix in fermenter to get rid of faint beer odor?
Bleaching my plastic buckets.
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snyklez
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Hmmm, I've normally done one tablespoon bleach to each gallon of water, but that's been for sanitization, not odor reduction. I've never really considered that faint beer odor as a bad thing, but then again, I wash my fermentors a few times before I use them again. By the second washing (I'm relentless about cleanliness), the odor is gone.
tgmartin000
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That odor is a permanent feature of my bucket fermentors no matter what I do.
bru-ster76
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I was wondering this today after bottling my first batch yesterday. I wasn't going to worry about it, although after sitting in PBW, the white bucket is slightly discoloured from the dark beer. Is the staining equally unconcerning?
Yes, there is no need to worry as long as they are cleaned and sanitized.
OP
OP
Duly noted.
I feel a bit foolish now. I thought that I read somewhere that an occasional bleach water soak was necessary with plastic buckets to get rid of odors.
Can the odors ever cause a problem?
Say for instance a bucket that had a stout in it and then a blonde.
Could the flavors be imparted?
I feel a bit foolish now. I thought that I read somewhere that an occasional bleach water soak was necessary with plastic buckets to get rid of odors.
Can the odors ever cause a problem?
Say for instance a bucket that had a stout in it and then a blonde.
Could the flavors be imparted?
k_mcarthur
Well-Known Member
There is no worries about residual odor or stains, but if the odor bothers you I've used hot water and baking soda and let it sit a few days. Seemed to work well.
OP
OP
Maybe that is what I read.
How much baking soda in water?
How much baking soda in water?
k_mcarthur
Well-Known Member
Didn't really measure, just dumped a bunch in. (Really scientific method I know) something like half a box.
OP
OP
Thank you kindly.
That might be true about beer flavors, but get some rootbeer in there and you'll never get rid of the rootbeer taste. I have dedicated beer lines for serving rootbeer as the flavor is persistent and will affect the next product coming through the same lines.
So, while rootbeer probably won't be in those buckets, consider that there are flavors that can affect them.
OP
OP
Sooo... are you saying that yes, a more robust beer could impart a taste to a lighter beer if they were fermented in the same bucket?
That's what I do. I usually have about 2/3rds of a scoop of Oxiclean in 5-6 gal of hot water and then add a "gulp" of bleach at the end. After an overnight soak I rinse it with hot water and add StarSan before using it again. Worked nicely so far but there's still a faint beer smell. But so what - there'll be more beer in there soon!
I would take it under consideration. I would buy a few different fermenting buckets if I were you. Cheap insurance for different brews. I have brewed multiple styles of brew in my buckets with no ill effects. I do however do a bleach/vinegar soak for sanitizing between brew sessions (I have starsan and use it, but I'm running low and use that for a quick sanitizing session on brew day). So, not sure why someone previously stated to not use bleach. Dilute it to the proper ratio and it works fine. I rarely "measure" my bleach to water and have never had a problem. Rinse thoroughly on brew day and it's ready to roll. After a long soak, I rarely smell the previous brew. Just my .02 though...
k_mcarthur
Well-Known Member
I rarely ever use bleach for anything. Once a month or so I disassemble spigots, airlocks, siphons and such and soak in light bleach solution. But never for brew day sanitation. I go to great lengths to remove chlorine from my brew water and would never reintroduce it again later. To use bleach it either has to completely dry ( not very time efficient) or you have to rinse extensively (introduce new bacteria unless you have an unlimited supply of sterile water). Kind of off topic, but I think important to add. Baking soda, oxiclean, and star San are the only cleaners/ sanitizers I will ever use. Just my $.02
If you really have an odor problem (with anything - coolers, buckets, garbage cans, whatever) just use plain white vinegar.
That stuff takes the stank out of ANYTHING. Give it a couple swishes, scrub a bit with it, empty and let dry. You'll be amazed at how it smells like "nothing" all of a sudden.
I use small coolers to hold pork shoulders after smoking them if I need to keep them hot for a few hours before serving. Those coolers smell like a fire pit afterwards. Bit of vinegar and I could claim they were new.
That stuff takes the stank out of ANYTHING. Give it a couple swishes, scrub a bit with it, empty and let dry. You'll be amazed at how it smells like "nothing" all of a sudden.
I use small coolers to hold pork shoulders after smoking them if I need to keep them hot for a few hours before serving. Those coolers smell like a fire pit afterwards. Bit of vinegar and I could claim they were new.
Yep, commercially speaking as well. On soda fountains a rootbeer line is dedicated, while the only other line distinction is sugared/sugar free and can be changed over to any flavor other than rootbeer.
My "mentor" advised me to never use bleach in regards to any brewing equipment.
One thought/trick I was taught was to stack my buckets with a spacer like a 1/2 inch section of pvc pipe between them to let them air out better and reduce aromas.
One thought/trick I was taught was to stack my buckets with a spacer like a 1/2 inch section of pvc pipe between them to let them air out better and reduce aromas.
I've used bleach and water on my plastic buckets. As long as they are rinsed super well, why not?
I make wine as well as beer, and sometimes have stains and odors that oxyclean didn't get rid of so I just mix up a little bleach and water and the buckets come totally white and clean. Then I rinse until there is no sign at all of any bleach odor, and let air dry.
I make wine as well as beer, and sometimes have stains and odors that oxyclean didn't get rid of so I just mix up a little bleach and water and the buckets come totally white and clean. Then I rinse until there is no sign at all of any bleach odor, and let air dry.
I've noticed that if you have spigots on your fermenters,they need to be removed & soaked & brushed clean Dito with the mounting hole area. then soak both in Starsan & assemble wet. By the time I swish Starsan in them right before filling (lid too) they smell & look clean & fresh.
But before all that,the newly emptied FV has the yeast rinsed out to wash,then rinse out the heavy dirt. I put it back on the fermenter stand,& dump 3TBSP of PBW in it & fill with room temp water to just above the krausen ring. Put lid in place & siaok a few hours to overnight. Rinse well,with last rinse going through spigot to rinse it out too. Then the above proceedure.
But before all that,the newly emptied FV has the yeast rinsed out to wash,then rinse out the heavy dirt. I put it back on the fermenter stand,& dump 3TBSP of PBW in it & fill with room temp water to just above the krausen ring. Put lid in place & siaok a few hours to overnight. Rinse well,with last rinse going through spigot to rinse it out too. Then the above proceedure.
if i've got a stinky sponge and spray it with starsan, it is still a stinky sponge
smells don't come from nowhere. they come from something. if you clean your buckets w oxyclean and starsan and it still smells...well, there is something there.
it seems like yooper has successfully bleached her brew buckets clean and used them again. this seems like a reasonable discussion.
as for my buckets...they smell like iodine + some general funk. i may try a bleach soak.
smells don't come from nowhere. they come from something. if you clean your buckets w oxyclean and starsan and it still smells...well, there is something there.
it seems like yooper has successfully bleached her brew buckets clean and used them again. this seems like a reasonable discussion.
as for my buckets...they smell like iodine + some general funk. i may try a bleach soak.
I did that with my Cooper's Microbrew FV once. You just have to keep rinsing with hot water till the bleach smell goes away. I did the proceedure in my previous post with the cleaner. then bleach soak,rinse,sanitize. Dito with spigots as outlined previously. Smells do come out,& I've been using the same plastic FV's for a couple years straight.
The point being,they have to be soaked clean first.
The point being,they have to be soaked clean first.
OP
OP
OK, now that some familiar and slightly more trusted (sorry everyone else
) have chimed in, I go back to the original post question.
What proportion of bleach / water should I use?
) have chimed in, I go back to the original post question.What proportion of bleach / water should I use?
HBC
Well-Known Member
I think the odors of concern is if you are recycling buckets that had other food items in it. I have done this in the past and regret bleach in that I found the bleach odor more repulsing than what I was attempting to remove. After rinsing a dozen times or more, the bleach smell is still there.
It's generally excepted to use 1TBSP bleach per gallon of water. Soak 20 minutes,then drain & rinse till bleach smell goes away.
SpentGrains
Well-Known Member
Clorox recommends anywhere from 1 tablespoon to 3/4 cup per gallon for cleaning, I would also start with a tablespoon.
No problems if you rinse well. But I've switched to oxyclean instead of bleach for household stuff too since I can't seem to use bleach without getting it on ME
The creator of star san said if you choose to use bleach for sanitization, I believe you need to add white vinegar as well to create the correct acidic environment to sanitize. I typically use 1T per gallon of water, then add 5T of vinegar after the bucket is filled and let soak anywhere from 30min to days. Note: I've done with straight bleach with no issues. I'm just now recently adding the vinegar as I read an article from the creator of starsan to add vinegar to the mix for correct sanitization if using bleach. You don't want to add the bleach and vinegar together before diluting or you could create a science experiment that could be dangerous. So add 1, then water, then the other at the end. Just my .02
Mixing bleach and vinegar is 'like waging chemical warfare on yourself' as I read somewhere. Tread with caution.
Yeah, that's why I mentioned to not do them both together
Add one (bleach for example) first, fill with 5 gallons of water, add the vinegar. No issues doing it this way 
I'm saying... not sure! I was really just responding to the idea that plastic is impervious to flavors.
I don't ferment in buckets, but if I did I wouldn't worry about a strong beer affecting a light one. But I don't worry as a rule (and I relax and have a homebrew, too).
BGBC
Well-Known Member
No problems if you rinse well. But I've switched to oxyclean instead of bleach for household stuff too since I can't seem to use bleach without getting it on ME
I've used oxyclean free in the past to remove smells from my buckets and it works pretty well. I have also hit them with a baking soda/hot water mixture after rinsing out the oxyclean and let that soak for a while. Usually do ~2T/gallon.
OK, now that some familiar and slightly more trusted (sorry everyone else
What proportion of bleach / water should I use?
For me, I use as much as it takes. I don't measure (remember, I'm NOT using it to sanitize or anything, just to whiten up and clean the buckets) but I use a splash and some hot water and a clean soft wash cloth and swirl it around and wipe the bucket. I then pour it out, over the lid, and then rinse with very hot water until there is no odor of bleach. Then air dry.
If I was using it to sanitize or doing something no-rinse, I'd certainly do it differently. But this works, and I've been using the same buckets since about 2006 for the most part, with beer and wine.
OP
OP
Thank you to everyone.
