# Chemical smell



## hollywood (Aug 22, 2013)

My skeeter pee is in the primary. I've been whipping it to add oxygen to get it fermenting good. Boy it has a bad chemical type smell. Not the rotten egg smell I've been reading about. Any ideas?


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## CBell (Aug 22, 2013)

Skeeter pee does not smell good during fermentation. Only time I have had a batch not smell funky is by using fresh lemon juice and zest instead of RealLemon. I think it's just the preservatives in the juice; it goes away, don't worry


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## robie (Aug 22, 2013)

Does it smell like fingernail polish remover?


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## hollywood (Aug 22, 2013)

Fingernail polish is close.


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## robie (Aug 22, 2013)

hollywood said:


> Fingernail polish is close.


SP can smell pretty strong during fermentation, so make sure there actually is a problem.

However, it sounds like volatile acid (VA). Maybe too much oxygen stirred in, I can't say for sure.

Look it up under google. You might can fix it... Me? if TA is what it is, a batch of SP is not that expensive; I'd correct what I might possibly have done wrong, pour it out, clean everything well, and start again with a fresh batch.

Others may be able to help you save it.

On this forum, do a search on nail polish. You'll find discussion on the subject.


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## beardy (Aug 23, 2013)

hollywood said:


> Fingernail polish is close.



I just finished my first SP and it had a real bad acetone smell. But I kept the primary cool, stopped frantically stirring, and added some energizer and a few days it went away. 

It's in bottles right now and this weekend I'm gonna try one out myself. The ones I've given away I've gotten great reviews for so I think the smell was gone. I feel like because I smelled it during ferment, I will always smell it. My lady says she didn't smell anything off about it during bottling.


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## Arne (Aug 23, 2013)

beardy said:


> I just finished my first SP and it had a real bad acetone smell. But I kept the primary cool, stopped frantically stirring, and added some energizer and a few days it went away.
> 
> It's in bottles right now and this weekend I'm gonna try one out myself. The ones I've given away I've gotten great reviews for so I think the smell was gone. I feel like because I smelled it during ferment, I will always smell it. My lady says she didn't smell anything off about it during bottling.


 

Best get you another batch started. The poof factor is going to kick in and you are going to be wondering what you can drink while waiting for another batch. Arne.


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## beardy (Aug 23, 2013)

Arne said:


> Best get you another batch started. The poof factor is going to kick in and you are going to be wondering what you can drink while waiting for another batch. Arne.



I've got a 5 gal DB sitting just over 1.000 so that should be ready in time


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## Arne (Aug 23, 2013)

beardy said:


> I've got a 5 gal DB sitting just over 1.000 so that should be ready in time


 
Hope them wine gremlins don't find it before its time. Little buggers are about like trying to get rid of dandylions. For no bigger than they are, they can sure decimate a lot of wine. Arne.


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