Cider stinks but otherwise tastes good

[dragongreen]

Hi,

I did a 10L batch of cider using an ale yeast (mistake).
The yeast didn't really like the apple juice environment and despite me feeding it with nutrient, I was getting a lot of Hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg) smell during fermentation.
I splashed racked it a few times to get it of the H2S as much a possible.

Now the cider is fermented and has cleared (for 2 months) but it still smells rotten. I tasted it and it tastes good..

Proposed solution: I was thinking to force carbonate it then let it go flat and force carbonate it again: would that get rid of the H2S ? (which much be dissolved in the cider somehow).

Or is the cider good to go in the sink? It is a shame.. The other batch I did with champagne yeast came out really good.. No more ale yeast for me (I think it was S-05 or something like that..)

Thank you!

Dragon

 

[castlefreak]

Just brewed my first cider a couple months ago. I used 100% Louisburg Apple Cider and a Wyeast Cider smack pack, which is close to champagne yeast I think, and it smelled rotten during and after fermentation. I kegged it anyway and tasted it every week or so. I noticed the sulfur smell was slowly going away so I waited it out and now have a pretty decent dry cider. So I don't know if maybe yours will defunk over time, but I'd wait a couple more months before dumping a batch.

It was my first try and I'll probably do a lot different next time to backsweeten or stop fermentation before it dries out.

 

[CvilleKevin]

I was thinking to force carbonate it then let it go flat and force carbonate it again: would that get rid of the H2S ?

yes - that works well for getting rid of sulfur. The only time I've ever had a ciders get stinky with ale yeast is when temps are too high. They are not as forgiving of high temps as champagne yeast