Belgian Wit WP400 w/ a sulphur smell?

[heywolfie1015]

Anybody ever gotten a sulphur smell off of a batch fermenting with Belgian Wit WP400? I took a whiff this morning and was a little surprised by the odor.

 

[Dos_Locos_Brewery]

Many/most of the wines/meads I make smell sulphury at some point in the ferment, but I never noticed it with beer yeast. Never used WP400, though. I wouldn't worry.

 

[Beezer94]

its normal, will fade in no time

 

[Saccharomyces]

You need to warm it up, if you are getting sulfur with this strain it is being stressed by being fermented too cool. Kolsch yeast does the same thing but in that case I like the sulfur because it makes the beer lager-like; for a Wit it's out of style. And I have to disagree it will fade, I had a batch that was sulfery four months after kegging...

 

[heywolfie1015]

You need to warm it up, if you are getting sulfur with this strain it is being stressed by being fermented too cool. Kolsch yeast does the same thing but in that case I like the sulfur because it makes the beer lager-like; for a Wit it's out of style. And I have to disagree it will fade, I had a batch that was sulfery four months after kegging...

Well, crap, this stresses me out. It's been fermenting at 68 or so, which I thought was well within the acceptable range. Also, I'm making the SWMBO Slayer, so it's not technically a wit, but still...

Is it really possible to stress the yeast by fermenting too low? I thought lower temperatures just made it go into hibernation.

 

[Bsquared]

68ºF should be fine, I tend to start at 68 and let them rise in temp to around 70-72. I get a light sulfur smell during my fermentations with WLP400, and have not noticed it come through in the beer.


Is it a strong sulfur smell? if it is not I would not worry too much about it, just make a note on this recipe, so if the sulfur remain in the beer is when you drink it is unacceptable you can adjust the process.

One other question? Was this recipes base grain bill 50/50 pils/wheat? and did you do a 90min boil? Pils malt is not as modified and needs a 90min boil to drive off sulfur containing volatiles. (ie H2S, DMSO).

 

[Saccharomyces]

Is it really possible to stress the yeast by fermenting too low? I thought lower temperatures just made it go into hibernation.

Depends on the strain; WLP029 produces sulfur below 62*F (which is documented on White Labs website), WLP400 produces sulfur below 70*F. I have also had Wyeast 1968 produce sulfur below 65*F, and I have heard though haven't experienced sulfur production from WLP001 around 60*F.

Typically I pitch my Wits at 68*F and then let them ferment at 74*F with great results. At 68*F the yeast produce sulfur (as you noted) and they take forever to attenuate the beer.

 

[heywolfie1015]

Thanks for the info, Sacc. I ended up taking a hydro reading last night and the sulfur air all escaped. (My primary is in the downstairs bathroom and SWMBO later complained that I must have eaten something truly awful for lunch. ) The yeast farts don't smell like sulfur anymore, so I'm assuming it was just the original byproducts that didn't escape through the airlock.

I've never used this yeast before, but the beer is tasting absolutely fantastic so far. BierMuncher really hit the nail on the head with that SWMBO Slayer recipe.

 

[ziggy13]

I just used that yeast to make a Saison...didn't smell like sulfur but it sure did smell funky. the funkyness has faded though. my first Belgian so I was really surprised at first. I guess funkyness is expected with that yeast.

 

[snailsongs]

I just made a starter with this yeast (WLP400) and the smell I am getting isn't quite sulfur, but I would describe more like that of chlorophenol's, which worries me. I know this yeast creates strange odors, so I am going to gamble that it's fine, but that particular note worries me. Anybody else notice the similarity to chlorophenols (plasticy sort of smell from bleach/chlorine contamination)?