fermentation smell question

Hello, i swore i wouldn't jump the gun on thinking something was wrong with my first brew ever, but i do have a question so that i can learn. I knew that this first brew didn't go quite as planned and that chances of it not going well were high, but im having so much fun that im just already planning brew number two. Anyways, Im keeping my fermenter in a keggerator with temp. controls, so my fermentation is staying right on 70 degrees, and when i open the door every hour or so i get the most sour assed smell coming from inside. the kegerator has never had kegged beer or anything in it prior, its brand new. So i was just wondering, what kind of smell do you get through fermentation normally? Is a sour assed smell bad? Im only 5 or so hours into fermentation. the recipe has oats wheat black malt chocolate malt 2 row pale malt flaked barley and crystal malt. chinook pellet and fuggles leaf for hops. Do all fermentations have a smell or just bad ones? thanks for any info.
EDIT- Its not that sour of a smell, almost like opening a jug of milk and smelling it, not sour milk, just milk.
EDIT-Ok its starting to smell more like sour milk in my opinion.

In my limited experiences (only on my 4th batch) fermenting beer can make some pretty weird smells. Some nice some not so nice. Wait till you try a batch of apfelwein, mmm Rhino farts. I wouldnt worry about it. Also when you taste the beer hydrometer readings and think its nasty dont worry. Your beer will be completely different when its properly aged and carbed. One more thing how are you monitoring temps. Is 70 the temp of your beer or the kegerator. The only reason I ask is that during fermentation the temps can be as much as 10 degrees higher than the ambient temp and can lead to off flavors. Anyways good luck and welcome to the sickness:cross:

Good ole yeast farts! :cross:

The smell depends on what ingredients are in your brew and what yeast you used. I've had some fermentations that the smell would make you wretch and others that smelled wonderful.

Taste your hydrometer samples and if they taste good everything is ok.

thanks, im just going to see it through. liquid temp is 70-71, kegerator temp 68-70

I am brewing my first batch as well. It smells like sour eggs or something. For the first 10 hours of bubbling, it smelled like pale ale. Now I am not sure! I will just wait it out, since I can smell the hops still among the strange odor.

Gavin said:

I am brewing my first batch as well. It smells like sour eggs or something. For the first 10 hours of bubbling, it smelled like pale ale. Now I am not sure! I will just wait it out, since I can smell the hops still among the strange odor.

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Then quit sniffing the fermenter...quit looking at the fermenter...everything is fine. Just walk away from it for a couple weeks, and all will be fine...



Fermentation is sometimes ugly, sometimes smelly, all sorts of waste products are being produced right now, that the yeast will eventually get rid of....

and 99.999% of the time it comes out okay...Especially a N00b's first batch.

Revvy said:

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LOL! Is that a new one Revvy?

FishinDave07 said:

LOL! Is that a new one Revvy?

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Bout a week old....I have one for hydrometer usage as well....

bwitt said:

Good ole yeast farts! :cross:

The smell depends on what ingredients are in your brew and what yeast you used.

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Hi,

Do think you could tell me what kind of ingredients would make the fermentation process smell bad? Also what kind of yeast?

If the ingredients make it smell bad, and everything is made right, will the beer still taste good?

I'm going to start making Jasmine Tea Ale. The ingredients are: Jasmine Green Tea, 6 lbs Malt Extract (ditto), and 2 oz Crystal Hops. I might be using Wyest brand of Yeast.

Will these ingredients make the beer smell really foul when it is fermenting?

Thanks!

Hi Guys,

I'm getting a similar smell from my starter I made yesterday, I used some yeast washed a month ago. Should I ditch the starter? It really does stink of sour milk.

Thanks,
Paul

PaulStat said:

Hi Guys,

I'm getting a similar smell from my starter I made yesterday, I used some yeast washed a month ago. Should I ditch the starter? It really does stink of sour milk.

Thanks,
Paul

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From the starter? Boy, I don't know. I mean, there are all kinds of smells during from fermentation, but if your starter has a lacto infection, it can ruin the whole batch.

I guess I'd let it ferment out, and then see what the result is. If it still smells bad, I'd toss it.

Yeah bro - Relax and take pride in the fact the the yeasties are having a grand ol' party in yer wort right now.

Seriously tho- depending on the ingredients as well as the type of yeast you are using, you will get a myriad of different smells from tasty beer type smells to nasty rotten egg smells. This is all normal.