Fermentation and Smell

Depends what you are brewing. I think lager yeast strains can sometimes produce sulfur (rotten eggs) smell especially at higher temps. Ales fermenting usually smell pretty awesome. But I don't think either of the smells would stick to your clothes.

 

The boil will most assuredly fill the house with Amazingly wonderful aromas that seem to agitate some spousal units. As far as fermentation, It's not as brash an aroma but can put off a bit of a smell. I love it. Don't know what it does to clothes. You can always do what I do. I temp control my ales and lagers with a passive cool box that is foam Lined. When I close ot up, the aromas pretty much stay in there.
Something like this should keep the aromas at bay. Of course these pics are taken without the lids on the chambers.

This is my primary temp control chamber

This is an older one I made out of some foam and a packing tub.

 

I recall when my daughter came down the stairs one brew morning and was disappointed to discover I wasn't making banana bread. The aroma of boiling wort is that wonderful! As to fermentation aromas, I would liken it to a new car smell. Not exactly the same, but it seems to stimulate the same part of the brain.

 

Pretty much have to make them yourself. The main one I use is actually a drug shipping box. It's designed to hold around 40 degrees or so for about 3-4 days. The walls are 2 inch thick poly foam. I get them for free at work. They're not quite tall enough so I build the walls a little taller with foam blocks (which also come in the containers ) I can even lager @ about 40F by changing out a gallon bottle of ice every 24 hours. You can build one out of most any box. Just line it with some type of dense foam, like maybe egg crate sheets. It works great for ales cause you can use small freezer bricks to keep the temps in check. Just get creative with it, it's all about insulation!

EDIT: maybe try getting 2 storage tubs, one a little smaller than the other and getting a can of injectable foam. set one tub inside the other and fill in between the two tubs with the expandable foam. Might be a bit smelly doing that, but that's the general idea of the innovation!

 

My wife booted me to the garage because her and my daughter did not like the smell of boilig wert. I have not fermented in my closet but would think that there is a possibility that your clothes would pick up an oder. You may need t splash on a little more High Karate! Good luck!

 

I fermented in a closet and it did nothing to my clothes, nor could I really ever notice that much smell at all. Ales, not lagers. Don't know about lagers + closets.

But yes, fermentation temperature control is more important than smelly clothes. In that pad I used the closet because it was a very constant 68F. I'd prefer a little lower, but it is possible to make tasty beer at that temp. Caveats: several. Short version: don't try to make imperial stout in a closet filled with clothes. Or if you do, please do post the disastrous results on youtube.

To me boiling wort smells of heaven. When I die, I'm going to beer heaven, btw. All you do all day is drink beer, brew beer, hang out with tons of super hott hott chicks (yes, with two t's twice), and rock out! It's right next to dog heaven, where you can't even turn around without sniffing another dog's butt.

 

My wife LOVES the malty smell of the boil. She's a keeper.

 

I always enjoyed the smell of boiling wort, but recently had a neighbor complain about the smell. We live in a townhouse, and I was boiling on my deck. The wind was blowing the steam in the direction of her house and she was worried that if she were to open the windows while I was brewing (it was winter at the time), it would stink up her house. I politely offered to use a window fan in the future, but if she complains again, I'm going to tell her that closing her windows for 1 hour every 2-3 weeks is not going to cause her any problems.

 

Mine absolutely hates it... with a derisive passion. But she let's me brew when I want so she's pretty awesome.