What's that smell?

[vivapayne]

I'm fairly comfortable with all the kit I'm thinking of getting, but the wife is still not on board as yet. The sticking point now: the smell.

I've been reading a few bits but what are your views on the smell? When does it smell? How long can it last?

I've read a lot that it smells when you're boiling it all up (excuse the poor terminology!), so I'm thinking I may pick up a camping stove and do that bit outside. When it's all fermenting, can it smell then? How long does this last?

Cheers in advance

 

[marlon]

It gives off a very nice aroma while it's mashing & boiling, but fermenting, nothing much to worry about. Again, the slight smell is quite pleasant and something to savour in my opinion.
My wife has never mentioned the smell in all the years I've been brewing. :thumb:

Do you think your good lady has an ulterior motive? Like......not wanting you to take up this marvellous hobby..?

 

[vivapayne]

Haha yeah potentially. She does love drinking beer, but she's worried it'll stink out the house! Given that it's a joint venture (the relationship and the house) I don't want to go and start if she's going to be unimpressed on day 1!

 

[chub1]

Man up and put ya foot down:grin::grin::hat:

 

[Soton]

You wait until you want to bring brewing shiny things into the house, women never seem impressed with shiny things :lol:

 

[DoctorMick]

It's the boil that smells really but that lasts 90 minutes tops and the smell clears pretty quickly. Personally, I think it smells really nice but I've had plenty of people around when I've been brewing that wouldn't agree.

 

[marlon]

Haha yeah potentially. She does love drinking beer, but she's worried it'll stink out the house! Given that it's a joint venture (the relationship and the house) I don't want to go and start if she's going to be unimpressed on day 1!

Hhmmmm!! I see your problem! My advice - ( for what it's worth ) is to approach the situation carefully. Start by brewing outdoors as you already said, ferment in the shed this time of year, gradually move your operation inside one bit at a time, stressing the positive angles at every opportunity. Like, cost.....brewing your beer is cheaper than buying it and much cheaper than the pub, more sociable too. She wouldn't want you dissappearing to the Cock & Trumpet and leaving her at home! And the money saved will help pay off the mortgage faster..

Win - win situation ,:thumb: :whistle:

 

[Dutto]

You wait until you want to bring brewing shiny things into the house, women never seem impressed with shiny things :lol:

Diamonds? :lol::lol::lol:

If you find a woman that doesn't like diamonds then check for an Adam's Apple! :whistle:

 

[Dutto]

I suspect that some (most?) of the above advice is from men who are single; or will be single in the very near future! :whistle:

There is only ONE approach when you want to do something within the little lady's domain and that's to GROVEL.

However, advice to "Man up!" and "Put your foot down." can be very helpful in the long term.

I've always thought that some of the best beers in the world are made by Monks ... :thumb:

... and if you take this advice you will soon be living a celibate life in a shed somewhere; brewing to your hearts content. :whistle:

 

[The Idiot]

Some yeasts stink of fart!

 

[Davemc]

I had a long lay off from brewing and when saying I was going to start up again the smell was one off the issues my wife raised. So I started off doing kits, no smell so not an issue and it got the whole brewing thing off the go so she got used to the rest of the space needed for bottles, kegs and fermenters. I have progressed to AG now with an ACE system but either brew outside if the weather is good, or inside when she is not at home. Even with boiling in the kitchen, with the extractor on and windows open the smell had gone fairly quickly so that is not an issue for her. The issue now is the amount of kit I have aquired and the space it takes up lol.

 

[Duxuk]

My wife is a school teacher. She moans about the smell in the holidays but never mentions it when I've brewed and she's worked. This shows that the smell doesn't last. Send her out shopping.

 

[pms67]

Good question, no way would I get away with a 90 min boil in the house,that's why my Burco boiler is in the shed or outside,anyway,I prefer being in the shed with the footie on the radio.
Pure peace

 

[Saisonator]

Maybe just ask for your trousers back and crack on!

 

[Dexter101]

From memory of brewing at uni (and I had a female flatmate...) The smell of the mash is favourable being malty and biscuity. The flavour of the boil when hops are added was the uncomfortable stage. I just planned to brew when I knew she would be out and opened a window. by the time she got home the only way she could tell if I had been brewing was the sticky floor in the kitchen... :whistle:

 

[FlatFenBrew]

Get your lady involved in some way. I have found that asking her for ideas on labels and names for your beer has been worthwhile. Also she now is part of the production line when bottling!
I guess half way between grovelling and manning up lol! :lol:

 

[Woodys]

It's all about give and take I guess. Take her shopping or out for dinner or whatever she likes doing give here a little treat then you get a little leeway for your ventures, always works for me. Failing that have a few drinks together then broach the subject it kind of softens the blow a little. Then when a load of new equipment appears in the house you just remind her of that conversation and that she said it was ok. I use blow off tubes into a pint glass half full of starSan (sanitizer) and get no smell atall when fermenting. Had a friend who used vodka instead and said it neutralised it completely. Once you start brewing youl wonder why you hadn't done it sooner. Go for it

 

[vivapayne]

Cheers all.

I'll do most things for an easy life, and if it means maybe passing on something/delaying something to save some grief then I'm all for it. I've not got a pressing need to start brewing so it can wait a little longer (and in the mean time move the living room into the front room so she's a bit further removed from the kitchen) and I can save a bit more cash towards some kit.

I don't think it's a case of manning up or getting my trousers back, just want to be courteous to her as if it was her wanting to stink the house out for a little while, I'd expect the same courtesy back from her.

 

[Covrich]

Is it fermenting smells that is your concern you the effects of green beer on your digestive system.. If its the latter get a dog

I actually ferment in a brewing cool bag (use a fridge) not only does this help regulate the brewing temp and keep the beer cool it also helps contain the CO2 in the bag.. I can only smell it when I open it up to swap the bottle.

 

[vivapayne]

It's the initially boiling and then the fermentation that's my concern.

The cupboard which I was thinking of using for the fermentation is within our current living room and is fairly open plan to the kitchen (hence the potential move of the living room). If we move the living room there's then less chance the furniture will hold on to the smell