How to get rid of sulfur smell

I'm making a hefeweizen with Wyeast 3068 yeast and a day after I pitched the yeast, the airlock began emitting a horrible sulfur smell. The smell lasted a day and then dissipated.

I opened up the fermenter to test the gravity yesterday, 9 days since pitching and the smell was still there. I tasted some of the wort and the sulfur was very noticeable. It's more of a smell than a taste, though, I guess. The gravity is at the FG and hasn't moved since I last check 3 days ago.

I've heard that the sulfur smell should go away with time but I'm wondering if I should let it age in the primary or rack it to the secondary and let it sit there for a few weeks. What is the best way to get rid of the sulfur?

If you leave it alone and the smell/taste will go away. Racking to a secondary is not really necessary, but wouldn't hurt the beer. I'd let it sit where it is for another week and you should be fine.

do nothing. come back after 1 month has passed.

time is key. like he said bier said, let it sit another week or two and check then.

Let it sit in the fermenter. If you put it in a bottle or keg the sulfur will be trapped in the bottle. If you leave it in the keg it may escape the liquid with co2 produced from the ferment. I'd suggest you increase the temp to the low to mid 70's to help release any co2 trapped in the liquid and help drive off the sulfur along with it.

ok, I'm going to let it sit in the fermenter, but is it better to let it sit in the primary or the secondary? If the sulfur is in the trub, it could be bad to stay in the primary. But if the yeast are the ones cleaning it up, there will be more in the primary so it should stay there. Does it matter either way?

I doubt it matters. I brewed a dunkelweizen on January 8th and used 3068 for the first time. I noted strong sulfur on the 19th and it was markedly reduced by the 24th. It's been on the trub the whole time and I'll keg it by this weekend.

The yeast cake reprocessing the beer and refining the product is what will remove the sulfer smell. Remove the yeast cake and you slow down the activity, although there are certainly yeast in suspension in the beer as well. Just leave it alone.

I use that yeast for my Bavarian weissbier. You will notice the sulfur odor diminish daily. I'm guessing you fermented cool, low-mid 60's. It will turn out nice this at those temps, more clove, less banana.

Just wait. Patience is the key.

Had the same issue with White Lab 051 California V Ale Yeast. I left in the primary for 3 weeks and the sulfur smell was gone when I took my last sample.

Just wondering. What was the temp at which you were fermenting? I've had a couple rotten egg beers and each time it was in the winter when I fermented in my (cold) basement using either a Belgian or a German ale yeast. Eventually the smell goes away. Now when I make an ale in the winter I ferment upstairs (lagers still in the basement).

I fermented cold, at about 62-64 because I wanted more clove flavor and less banana. Fermentation began quickly and was very active though. Seems to be the colder temps might cause more sulfur. As long as it goes away I'll be happy.

gio said:

I fermented cold, at about 62-64 because I wanted more clove flavor and less banana. Fermentation began quickly and was very active though. Seems to be the colder temps might cause more sulfur. As long as it goes away I'll be happy.

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I used wlp300 (I believe this is the same strain as 3068) recently on a hefeweizen. I fermented at 62F per Jamil's instructions and got some nasty sulfur. I'm feeling like 62 is just a bit too cold for this yeast.

maida7 said:

I used wlp300 (I believe this is the same strain as 3068) recently on a hefeweizen. I fermented at 62F per Jamil's instructions and got some nasty sulfur. I'm feeling like 62 is just a bit too cold for this yeast.

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Did your sulfur go away eventually? How long did it take?

gio said:

Did your sulfur go away eventually? How long did it take?

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No I did not give it enough time in the fermenter. I kegged it up with the sulfur smell. Then I forced carbed it and purged out the sulfur by releasing all the CO2. Then I carbed it again and drank it. The sulfur was much less but still present in the background. Also, there was NO banana and the clove was kinda weak. A disappointing beer on many levels.

For your beer, I recommend you leave it in the fermenter on the yeast until the sulfur subsides.

In the future I recommend fermenting at a warmer temp (66-68F). Warmer temps will make a more vigorous ferment and drive off any sulfur. Also, warmer temps will produce more banana and clove character. In my experience 62F is just to low.