ICK! Apfelwein making my house smell like sulfur!
- Thread starter dregan
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
Did you use vodka in the airlock? I've got the same smell and mine's been fermenting for around a week now. It's normal. I believe what you're smelling is the carbon dioxide mixing with the vodka. I forget where I saw it, but someone compared it to a rhino fart. Sounds about right to me.
It is the yeast reacting to the fairly nutrient poor environment. It will go away in a week or two. People have reported preventing this by using some yeast nutrients in the juice. People have also referred to the phenomenon as "rhino farts" (you can search for that term 
).
).Can I use nutrients now to help abate the smell or did I have to add them before the fermentation started? I think my wife will kill me if this smell lasts another couple weeks :cross: . I used Montrachet yeast with my cherry wine a couple weeks ago and didn't smell anything like this, I used nutrients though.
Arkador
Well-Known Member
that smell means it is working!
So I went home at lunch and it still smelled awful so I added 3 tsp of yeast nutrient and when I got home from work at 5 the smells was gone and in it's place was fruity/apple goodness. So yeah, it really works, I will definitely add that to the recipe next time.
Glad to hear. I will have to make sure I include this next time I make a batch. I think you will see that it will clear faster with the nutrient too.
gregbathurst
Well-Known Member
It is supposed to be better to add the nutrient a bit later, so the yeast uses up all the nutrient available first before starting on the addition.
