Strange Smell/Situation....I think

[GottaGetABrew]

Hello all, I just about through batch one. I made a Honey Cream Ale from Williams. Everyone loved it including SWMBO, who is a major Bud Light drinker so I consider it a score! As a matter of fact, she is ASKING me to brew more! Completely shocking.

So on with the issue. I searched and didn't see anything that approximated what I am experiencing. SWMBO asked me to brew another batch yesterday so I got out my fermentor (used once), put some Star San in it to sanitize before I got started. I strolled back by after roughly 30 minutes and for some reason smelled of the bucket. It had a strange skunky smell which after continual sniffing morphed into perhaps a stale hops (only way I can describe it). I had cleaned it after I transferred to my bottling bucket and stored it away. After it sat overnight I used PBW on it as per the directions and the smell was there when it got wet. After 30 minutes or so it was gone. I thought I had "fixed" it. Moved back to the Star San and all seemed good. Dumped it a little later and the smell was back. This it was a mix of between skunky and a rubbery smell. When the bucket is dry it has no detectable odor. I see no scratches or stains, etc.

Am I being paranoid about this? I am really wanting to get my brew on and am starting to have a nervous tick....lol

Thanks everyone.

 

[Dynachrome]

What is your fermentor? Is it something like a Coleman cooler, or something else? Model No.?

 

[Nurmey]

Star San will sometimes give off a weird smell. Maybe that is what you are smelling. Buckets also hold on to smells but it's not a problem and won't affect your beer in any way.

 

[GottaGetABrew]

Dynachrome, its 6.5 gallon bucket from Williams Brewing.

Nurmey, I noticed that Star San had an odor also. I figure I am just blowing this out of proportion but I am just strange like that...lol

Thanks to each of you for your responses!

 

[Dynachrome]

How's this going for you now? Did the beer turn out OK?

 

[GottaGetABrew]

How's this going for you now? Did the beer turn out OK?

Hey Dynachrome, I am still fermenting so I won't know for a couple more weeks or so. I did figure out what orginated the odor I believe. Generally I will fill the fermentor with star san and toss the rest of the stuff in while I am boiling (O2 stone/wand, airlock, etc). I happened to get the stopper wet and it smelled like the odor in the fermentor. I had just ordered another fermentor/airlock and that stopper happened to smell the same way. So, I believe its the stopper and it likely leached the odor into the fermentor while it was in the star san. I am guessing the smell will not affect the beer but if it does I guess I will have a stopper burning party.

Thanks for the reply!
Bryan