Collecting Sap in Dill Pickle Buckets = Bad Idea?

[bussell]

Hey Guys,

I've got a bunch of food grade 5 gallon buckets that were previously used to hold dill pickles. I've tried rinsing them out with a little bit of dish soap, but they still retain a slight "pickle" smell. Would it be a bad idea to use them to store sap?

I realize they would impart a bad smell/taste in syrup, but would the same thing occur with sap?

[Dill]

Hmm, I feel extra qualified for this.
We used to use those buckets on the farm. What I've found with those and the "olive" barrels is they need time to air out. Just leave them out in the sun with the top off after you've rinsed them out. After a week there shouldn't be any smells.

[RileySugarbush]

I had a bunch of those once. The pickle smell lasts about 2 years in the buckets but slowly fades. We used them for collecting sap and never had a problem. I think WestVirginiaMapler uses them too.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im totaly lost when it comes to these type of questions and the answers that follow. Im not in any way trying to disparage or make lite of another traders question. So here goes.

I have a SS bulk tank that has a years worth of dust, fly spots. critter tracks, at times mice nests, general crap from the air, bird crap and I wash it out with dish soap and rince with hot water. You could do surgery in the dang thing. Im told that the soap could impart an off flavor:mad: But someone has plastic pickle buckets that smell of pickles and its ok to wash with soap and all is well. Im not disputing the claim that its ok Im just starting to think that us SS owners are being picked on:) Now as far as leaving something out side in the sun for a few weeks I can tell you my wife still is a little gammie:o I think Im going to try some Dawn dish soap:)

[Dill]

I do rinse out with a bleach concentrate, I know growing up on a dairy farm we used soap in stuff and as long as you rinse it out good it should be better. I'm just speaking from experience on the barrels. I did some yesterday,with bleach and water. Left them out today and there is already a reduction in smell.

[KenWP]

With milk you have to wash with soap to cut the fat. But some soaps do help as they cut the over lieing film that traps odures. Then rinse the things well. Even with SS you have to cut the film on it to get to the germs under the film. I make my liveing washing SS and we found that we have to wash with a acid once or twice year even to get rid of the mineral deposits in order to get to the bacteria that it was covering. Theres clean and then theres clean.

[3rdgen.maple]

Someone gave me ten of the things 2 years ago and I just sent them for a ride in a garbage truck. I have left them out, cleaned with everything imaginable even an oldtimer told me to fill them with good old dirt and let is sit for awhile to absorb the smell. Apparently I must have a bionic sense of smell and a superman's tastebuds cause they still stink and just putting water in them I could taste it. I still do not know why I even tried cause I do not normally use such things when it comes to maple.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Hey Guys,

I've got a bunch of food grade 5 gallon buckets that were previously used to hold dill pickles. I've tried rinsing them out with a little bit of dish soap, but they still retain a slight "pickle" smell. Would it be a bad idea to use them to store sap?

I realize they would impart a bad smell/taste in syrup, but would the same thing occur with sap?


I never had a problem using them. I worked as a shift mgr @ Chick-fil-a in the 90's when I was in college and I have a bunch of them that I use for all my food grade contact in syrup and sap until now and plan on using them for many more years.

[Ausable]

Love this site - When I first started the maple syrup hobby, as a backyarder, about fifteen years ago. I thought - gotta keep the cost down in case I change my mind about doing this - so - what do I do? One of my adult children gave me a copy of Rink Mann's book "Backyard Sugarin" and Rink became my hero - His thinking fit me as a Backyarder - with his "The idea is to make Maple Syrup - not see how much money you can spend". So I started and went thru the normal growing pains. About five years into it I built a barrel stove and a friend loaned us a 2' x 2' open pan and we were in the big time - about five gallons of syrup a year - now we are up to 2' x 5' arch and evaporator our Son and Grandson built for us. However - I'm still one of Rink's students as I hang my coffee cans on the spout hooks with the plastic lids on and cut so snow and water dosen't get into my sap. In this part of Michigan - collecting pails are hard to find and very expensive when you do and five gallon buckets are easy to find - but - too big for me. Well - I'm gonna have to change my ways and spend some money - cause - the new coffee containers are useless ---- ha -- Wish you all good luck this year - Mike

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im thinking we need to adapt the slogan.DONT ASK DONT TELL:o

[Pete S]

YEARS ago, me and my girlfriend's dad painted a bedroom green. We mixed several shades of paint in,.....you guessed it a pickle pail.

The color matched the smell,..............I'm NOT kidding!

[holey_bucket]

Hey Guys,

I've got a bunch of food grade 5 gallon buckets that were previously used to hold dill pickles. I've tried rinsing them out with a little bit of dish soap, but they still retain a slight "pickle" smell. Would it be a bad idea to use them to store sap?

I realize they would impart a bad smell/taste in syrup, but would the same thing occur with sap?


My father in law started last year with 8 pickle pails. He said he washed them about 7 times each before he got rid of most of the smell. When I used them last season, I didn't even know they were previously pickle pails. My syrup did not taste like pickles. I just realized how old this thread is.

[maple island farms]

I use old pickle pails to gather. My wife brings a good supply home from her work. I have found the best way to get rid of the smell is let them sit out side. Takes a few heavy rains and then i use the same soap my brothers wash milk equipment with. TSC sells it by the gallon.

[Ausable]

Hmmmmmm - Clean - clean -clean ---- I know I'm a little strange - But - I like to sample different things. Now I've gathered my sap in coffee cans and stored it in 5 gallon pails that had apple pie filling in them - till I have enough sap for a boil. My maple, apple and coffee flavored syrup is sure good on pancakes and ice cream ---- but - now I'm getting bored with it. So it got me to thinking - (always dangerous) - If I hang saur kraut containers on the trees and store my sap in 5 gallon dill pickle pails (that haven't been cleaned) I will have a Maple, dill pickle, saur kraut syrup to drizzle over rueben sandwiches ---- sure to be a hit - especially in the bars. Of course -- I'll keep this from the wife -- She sticks with more traditional things - like maple - maple syrup. ----- well I'm off to get more containers -- See ya -- Mike