I'm kind of shocked

[BrewScout]

I had this Belgian Wit in primary for about 5.5 Weeks and just bottled this past Saturday. All throughout primary had an undrinkable amount of sulphur. After only 4 days in bottles I tasted one and sulphur was gone. I mean it just f***in vanished. there is also about 1/4 inch of sediment in the bottom of the bottles. Is it normal for Belgians to behave this way, and is the sulphur taste carried by the yeast that is settling out in the bottles?

 

[homebrewdad]

First off - congrats ona good beer!

Sulphur is a completely normal smell for some recipe/yeast combinations. Every beer I have done so far smells great when fermenting, but some just reek. Don't worry about it.

The sediment relates to the recipe and the yeast strain, as well as your process. If you have a nice, hard yeast cake, clear beer in the fermenter, and you don't kick it up when racking, you'll have less sediment in the bottles... but some beers just have more.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

I remember when you posted about this beer a week or so ago. I'm glad it cleared up for you! I have noticed my wheat beers tend to have more trub in the bottles after carbing than other styles and think it has to do with the yeast. The sulfur smell/taste should have been purged by the CO2 escaping the fermenter.

 

[Robms88]

Yeah, that is normal. I get it when I make ciders. It will fade over time, regardless of whether it smells in the fermenter or the bottle. I had an undrinkable cider for 9 weeks because of the smell from the bottle. I almost chucked it out, but leaving it taught me not to.

I don't think the sulphur is carried by the yeast, but it is a by product of fermentation. The reason yours probably smelt in the fermenter was because, although it finished fermenting, the smell was 'trapped' due to an air lock or sealed fermenter. In the bottle, a small amount again would be produced by the yeast when carbonation. However, it would be so little that it either gets re-used by the yeast when going back into the beer, or it just mellows. I am not professional, but that is what I think based on my experience.

 

[John_FL]

I get this with all my wheats. Belgian and German at least. I usually don't cold crash my wheats since I like them cloudy, so I think that doesn't help. I keg, but usually after two weeks or so on CO2 at serving temps the smell is gone. I get a lot more sediment in my wheat kegs than anything else.

I've been experimenting with ways to reduce this problem and it seems fermenting cooler helps. I'm going to try a wit this weekend fermented at 62, which incidentally is out of the stated range for the WLP wit yeast. But I did one a month ago at 65 and it still fermented crazily quick.

 

[BrewScout]

I get this with all my wheats. Belgian and German at least. I usually don't cold crash my wheats since I like them cloudy, so I think that doesn't help. I keg, but usually after two weeks or so on CO2 at serving temps the smell is gone. I get a lot more sediment in my wheat kegs than anything else.

I've been experimenting with ways to reduce this problem and it seems fermenting cooler helps. I'm going to try a wit this weekend fermented at 62, which incidentally is out of the stated range for the WLP wit yeast. But I did one a month ago at 65 and it still fermented crazily quick.

Which yeast do you use? I used WLP400.

 

[John_FL]

I also use WLP400. I think, and I'm far from an expert, fermenting this yeast cold reduces the spicy esters. But I'd rather give up some of them if it kills the fart smell faster. I'm brewing with this yeast again Friday for the colder ferment. I'll keep you updated.

 

[John_FL]

Oh and much like you my wheats have always tasted great. But man that smell is annoying.