so kolsch yeast...

I've read how some people describe a sulphur smell, but I'm not smelling that in a batch going right now.
In fact, I'd probably say the smell I'm getting is more like raspberries and this has me curious to know if this has also been the case for anyone else.

I mean, it smells so good I wonder if I'm doing something wrong, and if that's so, why does it smell so right?

I recently brewed a Kolsch using White Labs yeast and did not detect any sulfur. I fermented at 62 degrees, and the beer came through with a nice fresh well balanced taste with a clean finish. I am drinking a glass of it right now, yum.

On the other hand, I have an ESB fermenting at the moment using White Labs Burton Ale Yeast and it smells really bad, full of swamp gas. It is at 64 degrees at the moment.

I'm sure someone with far more knowledge than I will be along here in a little while, but I think the type of yeast and the fermentation temperature have a lot to do with it. I would expect more fruity aromas out of a warmer fermentation, and some yeasts just give off that foul sulfur aroma during fermentation.

I have never had the sulfur carry through to the finished product when I have been patient and let it age before drinking.

Patrick

Tap 1 - Kolsch
Tap 2 - Hefeweizen
Primary - ESB
Secondary - Empty
Next up - a Pilsner or another Kolsch to get me through the summer.

I've used the wyeast kölsch strain a few times with good results. Never had any strong sulfur smells from it.

I just used Kolsch (2565) for an American Wheat recipe. No sulfur AT ALL. My fermentation notes are lacking temperature readings but I did ferment in the basement which was ~ 59-60F. So I would think my ferment temp was around 63F.

I never experienced sulphur from 2565 and I brewed 6-7 batches so far. Its the best ale yeast out there when fermented cool. Most people who tried my beers evn prefer it more than true lager strains.

My White Labs yeasted kolsh smelled amazing during fermentation. Almost like sprite with extra fruit thrown in. It was the best smelling airlock ever.

I just made a starter with the Wyeast Kolsch strain last night. It was my first time using it, and I definitely noticed that the yeast itself smelled pretty pleasant right out of the package. I always smell my yeast when making a starter and I have to say that this one was the nicest one I've used. Sometimes yeasts have definite funky smells to them. I'm really looking forward to how the beer with this strain turns out.

I get no sulfur from WLP029. I pitch cool and pitch a ton of yeast. It always does a nice clean job.

I just finished fermenting a 10 gallon batch with wlp029 and I got some sulpur production around days 2 and 3 of the ferment. I have used it several times before and this was the first time I noticed the sulphur smell. I have also used the wyeast version of the kolsch and did not notice any sulphur smells, but I didnt like that yeast.

Patrick604 said:

On the other hand, I have an ESB fermenting at the moment using White Labs Burton Ale Yeast and it smells really bad, full of swamp gas. It is at 64 degrees at the moment.

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The Burton strain is known to give sulfur aroma/flavor sometimes which makes sense on the swamp gas smell.

Thanks for verifying my sense of smell wasn't going wonky!

I should've given more detail on my particular situation. It's a WL029 German ale / kolsch and its been bubbling away at 70 degree temps.
The current batch is working on an an IPA and the yeast was washed from a honey kolsch (both are AHB anniversary recipes), and I noticed the wonderful raspberry scents in that batch as well. I'm so glad I decided to keep this strain.

Incidentally, the second generation seems to be more robust and active than the first. I sat anxiously for three days for the first to exhibit signs of fermentation, while this one took off in just a matter of hours. In fact, I was seriously worried that it would blow the lid off my 7.5 gal bucket, it was bulging out so bad. I wound up putting a couple of 10 pound hand weights on top (in addition to the gallon jar I was using for a blowoff tube) for a couple of days to counteract the upward pressure.

Man, I love this hobby!

tbrink said:

Thanks for verifying my sense of smell wasn't going wonky!

I should've given more detail on my particular situation. It's a WL029 German ale / kolsch and its been bubbling away at 70 degree temps.
The current batch is working on an an IPA and the yeast was washed from a honey kolsch (both are AHB anniversary recipes), and I noticed the wonderful raspberry scents in that batch as well. I'm so glad I decided to keep this strain.

Incidentally, the second generation seems to be more robust and active than the first. I sat anxiously for three days for the first to exhibit signs of fermentation, while this one took off in just a matter of hours. In fact, I was seriously worried that it would blow the lid off my 7.5 gal bucket, it was bulging out so bad. I wound up putting a couple of 10 pound hand weights on top (in addition to the gallon jar I was using for a blowoff tube) for a couple of days to counteract the upward pressure.

Man, I love this hobby!

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70F is on a high side I would ferment a kolsch at. You need more like 60F for best results. 70F ambient can easily be 75F fermenting, it will throw a lot of easters at that temp.

permo said:

I get no sulfur from WLP029. I pitch cool and pitch a ton of yeast. It always does a nice clean job.

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My starter of WLP029 threw a bunch of sulfur and was in the 70s. I feremented the beer at 65 and didn't have much smells at all from the fermentor

paraordnance said:

70F is on a high side I would ferment a kolsch at. You need more like 60F for best results. 70F ambient can easily be 75F fermenting, it will throw a lot of easters at that temp.

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Yeah I agree, but this was a situation where I pretty much had no choice but to either play the hand I was dealt with or not play at all. (Translation: I had nowhere else to put it.)

However, I'm not terribly worried about the esters since this is not a traditional style. And if the raspberry smell is due to esters, then I say bring it on!

I've used 2565 and 029 and gotten sulphur from both. I start at 55 and let it stay there for about a week then slowly increase it to room temperature for another week.
Then it sits at 72-75 for two more weeks before I bottle.

029 had less sulphur. It also doesn't come out of the airlock or anything you have to open the fermentor to smell it. It usually shows up around week 2.

Have used WLP029 three time and never got any sulfur. I do ferment it pretty cool though, around 58F. Good clean yeast with light fruity flavors.

I posted earlier about my experience about WLP029, but i just brewed a kolsch for my wedding and this ferment was the first time I had observed the sulphur smell and I ferment my kolsch at 63. As a caveat, I brewed 5 gallons of cream ale for a yeast starter for 10 gallons of kolsc, and this was the first time I have fermented in my 10 gallon fermenter.
Im not trying to drag out this thread... I just think its interesting that I just smelled it. What batches and pitching rates is everyone else using?