Bad Smell AFTER Bottling

[Archer]

This past December I made a 3 gal batch from fresh juice that was frozen for a couple months prior. Dosed with 3 camppden tabs and waited 48hours. S.G. was 1.050, pitched WLP002 yeast and added 1.5 tsp of pectic enzyme, fermentation went normally. Racked in January with gravity of 1.000 to smaller vessels (hardly any head space) temps got down to the 40's where it was aging for a few weeks...actually noticed in February probably a MLF as bubbles were continuing when room in 50's. Cleared well, and I racked and bottled in May with some priming sugar, plus backsweetened a little with Truvia (which I have used before with no ill effects). Smelled fine, if not great at this time. Opened first bottle in August...Barn Yard Smell! Tasted ok, but smelled terrible...maybe a "hard boilded egg smell" one person commented. Tried one again a month later, same problem. Any ideas what went wrong?

 

[Yooper]

This past December I made a 3 gal batch from fresh juice that was frozen for a couple months prior. Dosed with 3 camppden tabs and waited 48hours. S.G. was 1.050, pitched WLP002 yeast and added 1.5 tsp of pectic enzyme, fermentation went normally. Racked in January with gravity of 1.000 to smaller vessels (hardly any head space) temps got down to the 40's where it was aging for a few weeks...actually noticed in February probably a MLF as bubbles were continuing when room in 50's. Cleared well, and I racked and bottled in May with some priming sugar, plus backsweetened a little with Truvia (which I have used before with no ill effects). Smelled fine, if not great at this time. Opened first bottle in August...Barn Yard Smell! Tasted ok, but smelled terrible...maybe a "hard boilded egg smell" one person commented. Tried one again a month later, same problem. Any ideas what went wrong?

"Barnyard" smell generally comes from brettanomyces contamination, while a eggy smell generally comes from sulfur. That also can be from contamination, but often stressed yeast is the cause of sulfur smells.

 

[Homercidal]

Sounds like your cider took a ride into the "DANGER ZONE"!

Sorry. I couldn't resist. I wish I had something helpful here.

 

[Archer]

Stressed yeast? Can you elaborate a little on what causes yeast to get stressed? Many thanks.

 

[Yooper]

Stressed yeast? Can you elaborate a little on what causes yeast to get stressed? Many thanks.

Lack of nutrients (cider has very little nutrients naturally), long time contact with the lees, etc. There are lots ways a yeast can get stressed during and after fermentation. "Rhino farts" are a big one, and it seems that montrachet yeast is a big contributor to that.

But if it's more "barnyard" than "rotten egg", that sounds more like brettanomyces, a contamination.