I forgot to empty my mash tun.........

Oxyclean and about 4 rinses always does the trick for me. My mash smells like that when I'm doing a Berliner anyway. I need to step up my game on CO2 purges.

 

Done that several times myself. Normal cleaning procedures takes care of it. I've always been amazed how quickly those grains turn.

 

It would be hard to create a more perfect environment for bugs than warm temps and plenty of sugars. I'm not surprised they turn so quick, but I am surprised that stank doesn't permeate out of a closed cooler easier

 

I leave grains in my tun for days, even weeks, a lotta lotta times due to my extreme laziness. Also one time I made a Kentucky common with the sour mash that actually turned out pretty great. I don't mind the funky smell. I got used to it (just keep the lid on till the last minute!). The tun itself will be just fine. This is pre-boil equipment anyway so it won't hurt your beer at all. I don't even use soap at all. Just a good rinse in your bathtub with hot water and you're good to go. It also helps to have a showerhead that detaches as a sprayer like I have. Otherwise you could take it outdoors and blast it with cold water from the hose, should work almost as well.

 

You're the guy who puts dishes into the sink until I can't even get a glass of water, aren't you? I figure I'm just standing around for an hour while the boil is finishing up. I may as well get brew day done in 4 hours.

 

Yeah but that grain bed is hot. I don't like to burn myself and I also don't like warping garbage bags. So I let it cool "for a while".

 

I "sparge" with cold tap water straight into the sink after I'm done collecting my wort. I can get the grain down to reasonable temps for trash bags before my wort even comes to a boil this way.

 

I've got a compost in the back that I dump my spent grain into, but it's usually not for a few days after use. I definitely get the spoiled, rotten barnyard stench when I open the top, but as long as you clean it there's really nothing to worry about.

 

trade spent grain for eggs, chickens don't seem to care if its fresh or 1 day old.

 

That's vile, rinse the mash tun over night with orderless dish soap.

 

There have been several times I have left spent grain in my mash tun for 3-4 days. Its never been a problem.

If the smell isn't offensive when I open the thing up to finally clean it I usually pour 2-3 gallons of boiling hot water in there and boil the runnings for about 20-30 minutes with some leftover hops and whatever yeast I might have on hand from previous batches to make a quick sour. Sometimes the results are pretty great. Other times its just so-so, but I'm not usually out any money or real time investment for the experiment.

 

I love this idea! In fact I think I'll try it next batch if I can remember.

 

I had that happen but came out with a mildew smell that I can not seem to dispatch no matter the effort. Might just need to get a new one.

 

OK, all you guys who aren't cleaning your mash tun on brew day, what are you doing instead? Like @inchrisin said, I'm waiting for the boil, I might as well clean to make for a shorter day. Are you guys just drinking beer and watching football? Playing with your kids? Beating your wife? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Forgeting once I can almost understand, but something tells me the kids/dogs aren't getting fed either in some households
(Put that fucking phone down) : )

 

Typically I am taking notes or responding to posts on forums like this one.

 

When I forget or just don't empty the tun, I clean it out, scrub it, then soak it in a bleach solution for several days. Then give it a good rinse and soak in clean water for another day, rinse and use.

 

Seriously, 96% of brew day is waiting for water/wort to change temperature or making sure it stays the same temperature. Plus, after everything is done, the last thing I want to do is clean up more than just the kettle and immersion chiller.

edit: hell, I've been known to do some food prep on top of cleaning my already used equipment

 

Well, I typically don't brew alone. When I'm boiling I'm usually drinking and hanging out. Also, I like to sanitize my fermenters, take notes, get the hose and chiller ready, etc. for the end of the boil. Not everyone has the same process, and not everyone makes domestic violence part of their brewday. I think that might just be you.