Sulfur or Rotten Egg Aroma

So this is a first, I went to rack a Rye Pale Ale to secondary and after removing the airlock the first aroma that hit me was of rotten eggs or sulfur, to me they smell one in the same...My six yr old son who likes to help me out wanted to take credit for the smell saying "daddy I ripped a good one didnt I".....I was dying, but knew for sure it was coming from the carboy. Having never gone down this road I had to head to the bookshelf and get into some of my books to see were fault lies. Im currently looking at Dave Millers Homebrewing Guide and in the section Common Brewings Problems, Causes, and Remedies it states that with this aroma under Rotten eggs it is Agent Responsible = Hydrogen sulfide caused by infection remedy = sanitation and omit Campden tablets. And under Sulfur aroma= Yeast autolysis remedy Rack beer promptly minimize bottle yeast and store beer cool.

OK I like to think that my sanitation process is very good all through my brewing. Is there anyway to save this beer or should I just pour it down the drain and chalk it up to a new experience and revisit my overall sanition process, which like i SAID i FEEL IS VERY GOOD. If it was caused from yeast autolysis what can I do to prevent this in the future. Right now Im pretty bummed out and doubt how far Ive come as a brewer and need to get back to basics..

Like to here anyones views on this..

Also it was White Labs California Ale V (WLP051) that I used if that has something to do with it

Fermentation is ugly and stinky at times, even when it is perfectly normal. Sulphur is one of those byproducts of fermentation that yeast often gives off. Google "Rhino Farts" and you will see.

It's going out the airlock, meaning it's not staying in the beer.


Relax

upperNY01brewer said:

Also it was White Labs California Ale V (WLP051) that I used if that has something to do with it

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How many packages, or how big of a starter?

It definitely sounds like some stressed yeast!

Yooper said:

How many packages, or how big of a starter?

It definitely sounds like some stressed yeast!

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I didnt use a starter and it was just one vial that I used. Another thing I noticed was that krausen never really left, it kind of finished with just a thin line of foam on top. Gravity did stabilize .

If you still have smell post transfer- if you keg, you can do a CO2 wash by flushing thru out post and venting thru pop off valve. If u bottle, might have to let it set for awhile.... I agree with above- might just be from fermentation.

tinman1 said:

If you still have smell post transfer- if you keg, you can do a CO2 wash by flushing thru out post and venting thru pop off valve. If u bottle, might have to let it set for awhile.... I agree with above- might just be from fermentation.

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I bottle, but Ive been filtering it by placing in a corny keg then pushing it through to my bottling bucket with co2, then adding the priming sugar then bottling. I guess time will tell, Im still going to transfer and dry hop and see where I stand next week