Wine smells like eggs

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toothm

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Hi all,
I'm new to the forum, but I've been checking it out for a while now.
I just started my first batch of wine, I started with whole grapes, crushed them, sulfited them, and let them sit for 24 hrs before I added the yeast. they fermented on the skins for 5 days, then I pressed them. The juice then went into a 5 gallon glass carboy. It kept fermenting vigorously, for about a week. I went to check on it today, and there was the smell of rotten eggs. Is this something normal that happens from the sulphur I added, that will diminish when I rack? Will stirring the lees help? I've heard the hydrogen sulfide smell decreases with aeration, but so does aroma.
I guess what I'm really asking is my batch completely helpless, or will these off odors diminish by bottling and drinking?
By the way, the grapes were marechal foch, a red french hybrid grape. The juice after crushing was 22 degrees brix, so I didn't add any sugar.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Doesn't sound too good that i have to agree! You mentioned starting the must off first before transfering to your carboy. How did you store it during this primary?
 
the must was fermented in a bucket, with just a plastic covering, and 3 times a day I punched the cap down into the juice.
 
You may have got an infection in there under the plastic sheet, and three times a day obviously gave more chances of nasties to get in. If you'd over done the sulphites initially i doubt the yeast you added would have taken off anyway. Is it still smelling of sulphur?
 
I have a batch of wine (fresh juice ) and I just checked the airlock and when I removed It I had a big smell of rotten eggs, and I'm a stickler for santitation so I just think its the smell of fermentation, I'm not worrying yet!!!!!!!!!!!
 
There are many yeasts that smell like rotten eggs when fermenting, especially if you added sulphur because under certain conditions thats exactly what it smells like
 
I'll bow to both Bandt9299 and SilvaRizla with their experiences of different yeasts/by-product aroma . Let us know what yeast you used, it could be one type they have both used that's given the smell?
 
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