Smells in clean fvs

[Cully]

After a fermentation has finished I thorougly clean the fv. Bleach solution, scrubbing brush and microfibre cloth with lots of rinsing, even tried soda crystals instead of bleach, the fermenter is usualy left squeeky clean and smelling lovely. I put on the lid, leave it for a week or so and then smell inside and usually get a faint whif off stale beer often with a slight vinegary edge to it. Is this normal, as its getting a pain to clean the thing down then find I have to do it again before the next brew ?

[Kev888]

I hope its normal, it certainly happens to me too. I believe its because the plastic isn't completely impervious and over time when closed up things seep back into the air as odours, but thats just my impression and not based on any science.

I personally clean after use then just sanitise with a few squirts of starsan solution before the next use, I don't bother cleaning a second time as if there isn't anything to remove from the surface the sanitising solution can get to it fine.

Cheers
Kev

[trucker5774]

This forum can do without sinners...........cast that man out.........he has an FV empty for a week

Mine tend to stand with bleach in them while another is fermenting. I find this useful to keep spoons,hydrometer etc ready to use. At the same time I have some bottles in it so I can split some off the fermenting brew when I barrel it. As this cycle comes to an end it is often time for the next brew and so it continues.

Back to your point, yes, if left there is a residual beer smell. I also manage to convince myself that I can smell bleach no matter how many times I rinse!

[befuggled]

I sometimes use Brupaks Stayclean if the vessel is going to be unused for a few weeks. It is pretty cheap if you mix it up and keep handy in a spray bottle. If it is for a quick turn round, I finish off the cleaning with Starsan (again in a spray bottle) after the final water rinse. It then gets more Starsan and a quick drain before filling.

e.g. http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... clean.html

(Trucker, I currently have 8 primary and four secondary FVs full, two more will be filled with Old Expensive tomorrow, so I consider my sins trivial..... )

[trucker5774]

[quote="befuggled"

(Trucker, I currently have 8 primary and four secondary FVs full, two more will be filled with Old Expensive tomorrow, so I consider my sins trivial..... )[/quote]

Bless you brotherly brewer, any sins in your past are forgiven, welcome back to the flock ...........nevertheless, take 3 bloody marys

[pdc]

nutralise the bleach after cleaning with a campden tablet in a small amount of hot water, just make sure you swill it around enough to contact all surfaces

[Cully]

Thanks, I feel a bit better about it now. I have 2 Fvs and seem to be alternating them at the moment. All my bottles are full and 1 keg, with an old english ale in fv at the moment for my 2nd keg. Its bloody addictive, this brewing malarkey.

[Doctor_Paul]

nutralise the bleach after cleaning with a campden tablet in a small amount of hot water, just make sure you swill it around enough to contact all surfaces

Thanks for this it's a great tip! I'm also glad that I'm not the only one who can still smell bleach after 5 rinses!!