Using pails from restaurant that had pickles. Will tast go into syrup ?

[Aaron S]

I am getting pales from a restaurant that had pickles in them. Will taste go into syrup ? I have done a quick wash with dish sop, baking soda and hot water. Any suggestions how to clean them. It still has a smell but not overpowering or anything. Is this something that I should be concerned about?
Thanks.

[happy thoughts]

If they still smell like pickles I wouldn't use them. You may be able to get the odor out with baking soda but it may take some work and time to let them air out in the sun. Try getting food grade pails from a bakery. Even if you can't get all the smell out, vanilla and fruit flavors are going to be less noticeable in your syrup than vinegar and dill..

[RileySugarbush]

Time air and sunlight will help. If you are using them for short term sap contact like transferring or collecting, it won't be noticeable.

[gmcooper]

There is always the possibility that the odor will transfer to the sap. Many years ago one of our state inspectors shut down a small producer across town from me as he had a bunch of pickle buckets on trees that still smelled of pickles. Once he changed out buckets he passed inspection.

[harrison6jd]

last year we had glass pickle jar we had to use. cleaned it with no noticable smell so we filled it with syrup. 1 year later we now have 1 gallon of pickley syrup.....junk. i will never use used containers for long term storage again. it takes too much work to have it ruined that way.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

dont take the chance

[Tor Haxson]

I agree with the "don't take the chance" opinion.

One point however, I went to the local brew supply shop to get a cork to replace the cork stopper in a rum bottle that I wanted to re-use. The owner suggested soaking the smelly cork in sanitizer to remove the odor.

So perhaps the no-rinse sanitizer that brewers use to sanitize equipment might help to de-odorize a bucket.

I ran out of jars once and took a cleaned pickle jar and put syrup into it, I think it was the lid and not the glass that kept the odor.

--
Tor

[Yankeeman]

I have a few out. I think most of the oder is from the rubber gasket in the lid. In my case 10 gallon out of a 100 gallon run. No effect on final syrup taste. If you want to do a trial, collect in your pickle bucket, then dump the sap into another bucket overnight. Smell and taste the sap to see if there is any lingering oder or taste.

[Spolcik]

I am getting pales from a restaurant that had pickles in them. Will taste go into syrup ? I have done a quick wash with dish sop, baking soda and hot water. Any suggestions how to clean them. It still has a smell but not overpowering or anything. Is this something that I should be concerned about?
Thanks.


I bought some 55 gallon pepper barrels for storing sap between boils last year. Rinsed them with very diluted bleach water then rinsed and rinsed with hot water still had a little pepper smell ( did go away after a while though) my syrup tasted great didn't seem to affect it at all. That said I don't think I would Ever bottle in a used container. My guess is you would be fine.

[maplerookie]

I agree don't use them. get bakery buckets. some might charge you a buck apiece but well worth it . I got the leader tap extenders and use them for my taps(the ones with the square ends on them) 3/4 hole in the bucket and you got a nice tap and hanger. Turn one of the corners of the tap so it is facing up the bucket catches nicely on that. only had one bucket fall off in a 45 mph wind. some buckets have to be modified a bit to allow the tap to fully seat on the bucket. I just cut a bit of the plastic off the outside with a nippers...works great. You will see what I mean. pickle buckets will hold the odor forever and a day!

[MapleLady]

Don't use a bucket that once held pickles. I was given a 5 gal green plastic bucket several years ago and I use it while weeding in my garden. That bucket has been washed several times and if the temps and humidity are right, presto.... the smell of pickles returns!

I have had good luck getting buckets at the bakery department of my local grocery stores for free. Just wash them out, rinse well and you're on your way!

[Bonlander15]

I have used them in the past with no transfer to syrup. They were washed with a very diluted bleach mix. the smell is still there this season. it slowly does diminish.