Smell In Clean Fermentor

[Digger11]

After I have scrubbed the inside of my fermentor with a soft sponge (no scratches) and then soaked with bleach for 2 days and then dried thoroughly - it still smells. Smells a bit like the trub and a bit like hops.

Is this normal - or should I clean again ?

Digger.

 

[RobH]

I get the same & it has not seemed to have affected my next brews.

 

[Jonez]

I get the same & it has not seemed to have affected my next brews.

they say: if it smells there is something there, however mine usually does after a lot a cleaning. I don't worry since it is actually a nice beer smell.

 

[joecast]

same here. usually pretty faint. if its strong, give it another clean. i also use bleach and normally rinse with boiled water straight from the kettle.
joe

 

[Digger11]

Thanks for the advice - looks like another (soft) scrub is needed.

I might get some Starsan as well when G&G get it back in stock, as other threads seem to recommend.

 

[EK]

I have started using StarSan and still notice some general beer smells in my fermenters. I don't believe that it has ever affected my brews and it is usually the odour of the most recent brew.

I wouldn't be worried.

:icon_cheers:
EK

 

[white.grant]

Guys,

Starsan is a sanitiser, your fermenter needs to be clean before your sanitise or you are wasting good sanitser. Sodium percarbonate is a great cleaner of plastics, makes the scum disappear (seemingly) without any elbow grease or harsh scratching (anyone remember the Jif ads?).

You've also got to remember that plastic fermenters are not forever, I picked up a couple of new ones on the weekend and was a bit ashamed when I compared them to the old ones - they looked filthy. <shudder> Hadn't noticed that dark krausen ring shadow before. </shudder>.

cheers

grant

 

[Nick JD]

My oldest manky fermenter smells of a thousand liters of beer. Beer smells are good.

If it smells like not-beer, well, that's bad. Trust your nose (on bottles too) - if it smells off, it's off. If it smells of beer, it's okay.

If you are worried, boil four liters of water, dump it in your fermenter, pop the lid on and give it a shake (watch out for the steam jet out the airlock hole). Anything that can live though that deserves to eat your beer. In the race for the carbs, a shitload billion healthy yeasties will always outrun a few thousand bacterial spores. Always.

 

[Fourstar]

If it smells like not-beer, well, that's bad. Trust your nose (on bottles too) - if it smells off, it's off. If it smells of beer, it's okay.

There is a reason why we can smell, to pick up on stuff that is bad for us umon other things. Ever wondered why we hate the smell of farts? Thats because Hydrogen Sulfide can KILL YOU. In other words, if it smells funky it probabaly needs more cleaning. If it smells but smells ok. You're good to go (in most instances).

 

[Fermented]

Bleach is great for killing things, but as a cleaning agent it's a bit limited.

I don't know what else you used for cleaning, but if you can use some caustic based cleaning agent (either the pink powder or a dish washing detergent powder at 10 g into two litres of hot water) and coat all surfaces well by rolling the fermenter for a minute or two or agitate well then you should be right. Needs a couple of good rinses after. Wear protective gear as per maker's instructions, etc.

Be careful if you shake / agitate well as when it's hot it will try to blow out through the seals, especially if you've put your gloved finger ocer the airlock hole. Just vent it after a couple of shakes as you go and it should be OK.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[Digger11]

thanks fermented - sounds like good advice for "stubborn stains/smells"

 

[Phoney]

You reckon beer makes a fermenter smell? Try brewing ginger beer......if you havent already. It's seems almost impossible to wash the ginger smell out!

I brew a cider immediately after a GB, I figure a slight hint of ginger wouldnt be such a bad thing in a cider, as opposed to an ale. Even though im yet to actually taste it...

 

[EK]

When I brew a beer after a ginger beer I can no longer notice the distinct and easily-identifiable ginger beer smell that was there before the beer was fermented.

I understand that if you can smell something, then there is compounds and other stuff left over. But I am yet to notice a ginger smell in the resulting beer.

:icon_cheers:
EK

 

[Fourstar]

You reckon beer makes a fermenter smell? Try brewing ginger beer......if you havent already. It's seems almost impossible to wash the ginger smell out!

I brew a cider immediately after a GB, I figure a slight hint of ginger wouldnt be such a bad thing in a cider, as opposed to an ale. Even though im yet to actually taste it...

Try getting the small of cider out of your beer filter! ,Ive given it 3 decent washes with sodium percarbonate and 3 overnight soaks in it too! Talk abut a PITA!

 

[jyo]

Bi carb soda?