# Driving by an oil refinery, what is the pleasant steak-like smell? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2021, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425 "2021-06-13T12:25:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/21 "2021-06-14T17:28:37Z")
We were pretty sure a farmers co-op was going to build an alfalfa drying plant near us. Thankfully an elderly widow lady had bought a lot years before and refused to sell it so that got stopped. So they decided to build that plant in a neighboring small town and right across the street from some friends who had just put up a new house. The smell was atrocious; like a sewer to the 10th power. Thankfully it did not last long. Apparently they were in violation of some EPA regulations and a more in depth investigation was to follow. Lo and behold, the plant just happened to catch on fire about 1 in the morning and burned to the ground; taking with it any evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/22 "2021-06-14T17:30:19Z")
I don’t know what process they use but I do know that when they are working sugar cane it smells like burnt sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/23 "2021-06-14T17:40:37Z")
> [@ok4450](#): > > _We were pretty sure a farmers co-op was going to build an alfalfa drying plant near us. …_ > _The smell was atrocious; like a sewer to the 10th power. Thankfully it did not last long._ … > _Lo and behold, the plant **just happened to catch on fire** about 1 in the morning and burned to the ground; taking with it any evidence._ I would expect drying alfalfa to smell wonderful. _Not like cut grass?_ Piganini, our beloved potbellied pig’s Purina Pig Chow was mostly alfalfa. It smelledelicious. (Did notaste as it smelled.) His wagging tail showed that he liked it! You never sausage a pig! ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/24 "2021-06-14T17:52:19Z")
I guess if you’re around it all the time, you don’t notice the smell. Similar to how smokers don’t smell the stale cigarette smoke in their clothing. When I first stopped smoking, I was amazed that I could smell someone smoking a cigarette in the car in front of me at a red light with my windows rolled up! ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/25 "2021-06-14T18:35:50Z")
> [@Scrapyard-John](#): > > When I first stopped smoking, I was amazed that I could smell someone smoking a cigarette in the car in front of me at a red light with my windows rolled up My brother says the same thing. He smoked for 30+ years. Can’t stand being around smokers. Neither can I. It’s a vile disgusting habit. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/26 "2021-06-14T18:39:48Z")
the problem is that smokers dont realize it until they stop. I stopped but my son has not yet. when he walks in the house the whole house smells just from his clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/27 "2021-06-14T18:48:59Z")
My doctor had the covid19 virus he told me that once he got over it his sense of smell was increased he said he could walk into his house and smell cigarette smoke but no one smoked in his house for the last 35 years. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/28 "2021-06-14T18:50:56Z")
that was a ghost smoking a cigarette in his house. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/29 "2021-06-14T18:52:45Z")
Good one. 😆 😆 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/30 "2021-06-14T20:06:57Z")
When I was a kid we occasionally drove by a Wonder Bread bakery, a glorious smell. ---
**Author:** ![hiker16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hiker16](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hiker16)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/31 "2021-06-15T00:23:03Z")
An, yes. Elizabeth, NJ…… ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/32 "2021-06-15T00:53:21Z")
Used to visit friends in Alton IL, the refineries smelled like spoiled steak. ---
**Author:** ![johnnym\_was\_here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/35a633/32.png) [@johnnym\_was\_here](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johnnym_was_here)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/33 "2021-06-15T00:54:33Z")
> [@Robert-Gift](#): > > And now marijuana grow operations. there is a big one near me and it smells like all of the skunks in california have taken up residence behind the perimeter fence ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/34 "2021-06-15T01:21:24Z")
> [@weekend-warrior](#): > > the problem is that smokers dont realize it until they stop. I stopped but my son has not yet. when he walks in the house the whole house smells just from his clothes. A home I bought years ago was previously owned by smokers. I ended up cleaning then painting all the walls and ceiling and replacing ALL the carpeting. I’ve also refused a rental car that you could easily tell was rented by a smoker (even though it wasn’t suppose to be). ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/35 "2021-06-15T01:33:55Z")
I can understand that, though being a smoker I only smoke with the windows down and use some Jovan musk every now and then to freshen the car up. Have had a few people comment on how nice the car smells. Never smoke when a passenger is in the car unless they smoke also ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/36 "2021-06-15T05:42:03Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > Try being downwind of a pulp mill! I remember Hull, Canada. > [@shadowfax](#): > > That’s an unusual recipe… For the steak, yes; for fun, no. > [@Robert-Gift](#): > > How do all brands of the area’s gasolines come from this **one** refinery?? My father delivered gasoline (before WW2). He delivered the same stuff to every station. > [@bing](#): > > In Sioux Falls They have a stockyard; Wilson’s only a slaughterhouse. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 6:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/37 "2021-06-15T06:46:33Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > They have a stockyard; Wilson’s only a slaughterhouse. 1. Morrells. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 11:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425/38 "2021-06-15T11:11:17Z")
Until I was six y.o. my dad drove a livestock truck for a slaughter house, sometimes he would take me along. Then we would go in and walk through the facility. I am surprised it did not affect me. I am definitely a carnivore. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-by-an-oil-refinery-what-is-the-pleasant-steak-like-smell/177425.md?page=1)