skunk in the primary

mcginness said:

hi all,

this is my first post but i've been lurking for a bit.

i have a batch in my primary that is giving off a real strong skunk smell. i pitched the yeast on friday, two days ago, the lag was about 6 hours. i used some of the slurry from my last batch (lager) as the starter.

the recipe was
12lbs of lme
4 lbs crystal malt
4 oz hallertau hops (hole)
6.5 gallons at completion
4 gallon boil, with a 2.5 gallons of boiled and neer frozen spring water to cool wert down to pitching temp. and a cold sink bath to cool down the 4 gallons of wert in the pot. i had it to 80 deg. in 30 min or so. its fermenting at 58 degrees now.

i used all my normal sanatary methods. never had a beer give off this kind of stink before.

any ideas?

thanks

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JoeMama said:

I just looked at your ingredient list as well. Wow, that looks like a heavily hopped/malted beer for that volume. I would let it sit for some time to mellow out.
-Me

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Lager yeast fermented at ale temperatures does stink. I've never heard that's it like a skunk smell, but sulfury and strong.

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EvilTOJ said:

Nobody's mentioned this, but has the beer been in sunlight at all? Isomerized hop oils and UV radiation don't mix, they turn into the same chemical that comes out of a polecat's ass. That's why Corona has a skunk smell to it.

58º is fine for primary fermentation for lagering.

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