Time for new Buckets

[Brewlog]

Ok so here is the question; I haven't brewed in about 3 years, my buckets have been stacked inside in a closet(Air Conditioned) for that time. I have moved twice as well. Do I need to buy new buckets or do you think these are safe? I need to know since I no longer live anywhere near a Home Brew Store.

 

[Brewnoob1]

Just bleach bomb them and they should be fine...unless they are scratched all to hell. Then you can run to your local home depot or lowes and buy buckets for a few bucks since scratches can harbor bacteria and other nasties. But either way, bleaching them should kill anything and everything.

 

[jflongo]

Do they look clean? Do they smell clean? Do they have any scratches on the inside?

If Yes/Yes/No, then you should be fine. Clean them, and then sanitize them.

 

[Brewlog]

They do smell of my last brew. Sounds good, I think I will order a glass carboy with my order then so I will have a back up if they still smell after the bleach bomb. Any tips on bleach/water ratios for a bomb?

 

[Brewnoob1]

I think 1Tb to 1 gallon of water is what I use. I don't always measure. I just pour some bleach in, fill her up, let her sit for at least 30 min (I usually go overnight just because it's easier for me) and then rinse out. Keep rinsing and you'll notice the bleach smell start to go away. I personally rinse with hot water until it's gone. That works for me...no issues to date using this method

 

[Big_Blue]

I got some old buckets and a carboy from a friend -- old and well used mind you -- and an overnight soak in a bleach mix kicked the age right out of it. Unless the buckets are scratched, I don't see how there's anything bleach wont fix.

 

[two_hearted]

bleach is hard to rinse out and can leave off flavors in your beer. If it were me, I would probably go buy a few new buckets. Or use PBW or oxy-free to clean them.

 

[WyomingBrewer]

PBW is the mostest amazingest awesomest stuff ever!

 

[petey_c]

Oxy/PBW to clean. Starsan to sanitize. Bleach (at a 10% bleach/H2O ratio. IIRC from my hosp days) for both. Plus it's the most economical. Try one batch. If it turns out bad, schist-can them and start new. Just my dos centavos...

 

[Big_Blue]

That's why I'd go for the bleach. If it fails, you're only out some pennies.

 

[Brewnoob1]

I use bleach all the time in my buckets without measuring. I simply give it a good thorough rinse following the soak on brew days. Then just hit it with 1 last spray of starsan before the wort hits it and I've been golden. No off flavors or side effects of the bleach detected at all. FWIW, if bleach is all you have or you are in a money crunch, use it. If you have PBW/Oxiclean, use them. But don't be afraid of bleach.

 

[liquiditynerd]

A bit on another note. I am using my second bottling bucket in 5 years. Last year I started bottling and beer started flowing all over the counter. I got it back into the carboy and filled the bucket up with water. All the way around the bottom water was dripping. Don't know what happened, bleach, stars an, or idophur, but the bottom literally failed. Best tomato planter I've ever had.

 

[Brewlog]

Buckets have been PBW'd and don't have any smell to them or residue. Time to Starsan and then its a double brew day!! Pretty ambitious for the first brew day in over 3 years, especially with a 9 month old underfoot.

 

[unionrdr]

When I empty a fermenter,I wash out the heavy stuff with water & set it back on the fermenter stand. dump in 4TBSP of PBW & fill to near the top with water,stiring to dissolve. Lay the lid on & let it soak 5 days. Then a lightscrubbing with a bottle brush & rinse it out. I remove the spigot,seals,& lock nut & soak in a mug of PBW with the valve open. I use aquarium lift tube brushes inside them. Rise,soak in starsan a minute or two,then reassemble. A lot of nasties like to hide under the seal/lock nut area. So I remove & clean/saintize them & the mounting hole everytime.
On brewday,I sanitize the fermenter with starsan,no more smells. Most of them come from the spigot mounting area ime.

 

[grimzella]

bleach is hard to rinse out and can leave off flavors in your beer. If it were me, I would probably go buy a few new buckets. Or use PBW or oxy-free to clean them.

I second the Oxy-Free. I love it. Cleans everything for me. Gunk off the inside of glass carboys.. buckets without scrubbing. i just leave it sit for a few days and BAM!! clean scratch-free results. I just rinse well and everything is fine. I still however re-sanitise on brew day.