Cider Smells Like Bad Eggs...I Know Its Normal, But

I have a batch of cider that has been brewing for four going on five weeks. I used White Labs English Cider yeast which I understand can have a sulphur smell for a couple of weeks. At three weeks, I transferred to the secondary, but a strong rotten egg smell is continuing. The cider has been consistently around 62-66 degrees. I know its lower than optimal, but our house is old and cold this time of the year. I'm beginning to wonder (aka stressed yeast or something of that ilk) if something is wrong and if there is anything I can do about it.

I've read that rhino farts are normal, but do they last this long? Is the temp too low? After five weeks, the yeasties are continuing to chug along (bubbling every 20secs). I added 30oz of honey to 5 gallons of cider.

This is only my second batch and I'm eager to learn. Thanks for any and all help/assurance/guidance.

I honestly would not worry. The rhinofarts smell definitely lingers. As I have only used montrachet for my ciders, I cannot comment on that particular yeast, but I'm sure if you're keeping it in a 62-66 range all will be fine. The sulfuric smell will dissipate in time. I had a bottle of 2 year old cider I had made a few months ago...was smooth, crisp, delicious, and sulfur-free. Oh, and 9% ABV...yikes.

Relax. Don't worry. Have a...hmm what the hell is that last part...

Cheers

it is not uncommon. Give it time. At bottling it will be bitter and maybe a bit sulphuric still but again....give it time. It will taste fine after a couple months. which is why you need to start a new batch as soon as this one goes in bottles. That way you always have the pipeline filled. The hardest part of home brewing is patience.

I'd go the other way and say if it's sulfury after a month, that there is an issue.

It could be lack of nutrients, causing stressed yeast, or yeast strain related, but I'd take action right away.

If fermentation isn't done in 5 weeks (mine are usually done in 5 DAYS!), and it's sulfury, then I would immediately splash rack, hoping the smell dissipates and you don't have H2S. If the splash racking doesn't improve it by getting rid of some c02, and depending on the actual SG, it may be time for nutrients or other action.

Add yeast nutrients to this and ever batch of cider you make. It will reduce the intensity of rhino dart and the duration. It will make the cider drinkable in shorter time too.

It sounds as though I can take a little bit of everyone's advice. If I splash rack do i move the lees as well? It sounds as though there's no reason not to add nutrients. I live 1/2 mile from the brewing supply so easy enough to pick some up and then I'll stop worrying about it.

mp3phelan said:

It sounds as though I can take a little bit of everyone's advice. If I splash rack do i move the lees as well? It sounds as though there's no reason not to add nutrients. I live 1/2 mile from the brewing supply so easy enough to pick some up and then I'll stop worrying about it.

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No, get it off of the lees as that is probably a part of the problem- the breakdown of unhealthy yeast. Splash rack, to aerate a bit, but do check the SG first!

Thank you for the advise! I have moved the cider into a bucket to aerate and am splashing vigorously.. recommendations? The SG was 1.14 before the move.

mp3phelan said:

Thank you for the advise! I have moved the cider into a bucket to aerate and am splashing vigorously.. recommendations? The SG was 1.14 before the move.

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I think you mean 1.014? If so, just splash until the smell is better, and go ahead and put back in a carboy and airlock. That should really help, and you can check it tomorrow. If there is still a hint, some stirring may be in order, and of course some nutrients are fine to add now. Dissolve them in some water, and add tomorrow when you get them.

You bet! Typo - thank you! I'll keep at it and check back tomorrow. I'll sleep better tonight after your advise and all of the support of the others..

Cheers!

Won't the splashing cause oxidation if done too much? Perhaps degassing would be a better process.

barnaclebob said:

Won't the splashing cause oxidation if done too much? Perhaps degassing would be a better process.

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Splashing is a way to degas..........................

Oxidation would be a concern once the SG drops a little lower and fermentation stops, but H2S is a much more immediate and pressing concern.

I was under the impression that ideally degassing wasn't supposed to incorporate much air, it just released dissolved gasses in the liquid.

barnaclebob said:

I was under the impression that ideally degassing wasn't supposed to incorporate much air, it just released dissolved gasses in the liquid.

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But there is still air exchange happening- while degassing via stirring may expel c02, so does splash racking.

Splash racking will do more to dissipate the H2S, which would ruin the cider.

Not that Yooper needs me to chime in here but her point is really important. Certainly, oxidation ought to be a concern but the far bigger concern here and now is the hydrogen sulfide. That must be removed quickly because the H2S which can be eliminated can create what are called mercaptans and mercaptans cannot be (so) easily removed. But think about it: Oxidation is a form of rust - it's the same basic chemical process - and we are talking about cider - a drink that is typically drunk young. In other words, no one is likely to age their cider more than a few months , a year perhaps. How quickly does oxidation degrade a wine to the point that you can detect it by taste or to the point where you would not want to drink the wine (or cider)? Two years? Five years? So you have an immediate problem that you want to deal with quickly and effectively and you have a slow moving situation that MAY become a problem way , way down the road. Me? I would tackle the immediate problem and deal with the second issue a little later (which I believe can be easily dealt with by adding enough K-meta to produce enough free SO2 to act as an anti-oxidant).

Ok I didnt know the sulfur lead to permanent problems.

barnaclebob said:

Ok I didnt know the sulfur lead to permanent problems.

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That, and at 1.014, the cider should still be fermenting so oxygen in the cider should be ok, until fermentation stops. If it was at, say, 1.004, my advice might be a bit different (but not much). H2S will mean the cider is ruined and undrinkable- but a little oxidation, while not desirable, means the cider will age faster and not well.

That's why I'm not a big fan of the WLP yeast. It's what I started with, too. I say nutrients and a swish or swirl after racking helped me but I added sugar too.