Egg/fart smell in kegged cider!

[ChrystieBrewing]

This is my 3rd cider I've made. First 2 came out great and this 3rd one has a good flavor but nasty smell! Smells like sulfer or eggs. I already kegged it and its been in the keg for about 2 months. Anything I can do to eliminate the smell? I'm guessing probably not, thankfully I only make 2.5 gallons. Next time I will let it sit in the primary longer it was only in for 3 weeks and had the smell when I kegged it.

 

[dmtaylor]

It's gonna take patience and time. The sulfur will fade over time.

 

[brewshki]

This is my 3rd cider I've made. First 2 came out great and this 3rd one has a good flavor but nasty smell! Smells like sulfer or eggs. I already kegged it and its been in the keg for about 2 months. Anything I can do to eliminate the smell? I'm guessing probably not, thankfully I only make 2.5 gallons. Next time I will let it sit in the primary longer it was only in for 3 weeks and had the smell when I kegged it.

If memory serves, you can help it along by purging the keg a bunch as it will help to drive the sulfur off when the CO2 escapes. I don't think it is necessarily very efficient though.

I feel like I remember adding more nutrients would help reduce sulfur, but I am not sure if that is true or where that cam from.

 

[Amadeo38]

Purging the keg occasionally will get rid of it eventually. I believe you can also hang a muslin bag with a piece of sanitized pure copper in the keg to speed things up, if you happen to have a small piece of copper pipe, for example. It binds to the sulfur compounds.

 

[ChrystieBrewing]

I figured purging would help. How would I safely open the keg at this point to add a piece of sanitized copper? Never opened a keg before after I kegged and carbonated!

 

[myndflyte]

I figured purging would help. How would I safely open the keg at this point to add a piece of sanitized copper? Never opened a keg before after I kegged and carbonated!

By purging the head space, you should be able to open the lid.

 

[balrog]

Purging the keg occasionally will get rid of it eventually. I believe you can also hang a muslin bag with a piece of sanitized pure copper in the keg to speed things up, if you happen to have a small piece of copper pipe, for example. It binds to the sulfur compounds.

This I've never heard but would be awesome if it works! @ChrystieBrewing , dental floss is your friend to suspend small item in keg, with keg lube on O-ring, laid right over O-ring, or get one of those fancy lids with tab already welded on underneath for this situation.

 

[Amadeo38]

Be sure to turn off your regulator or unplug the gas line when purging or it’s going to keep filling. Seems obvious but you’d be surprised...

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

This I've never heard but would be awesome if it works! @ChrystieBrewing , dental floss is your friend to suspend small item in keg, with keg lube on O-ring, laid right over O-ring, or get one of those fancy lids with tab already welded on underneath for this situation.

i've had better luck putting a stainless pipe clamp (the kind you screw to make tight) around the outside of the pressure relief valve on the inside of the lid and hanging things from there (only done with dry hop bags). Works like those fancy lids with the welded tabs but only costs about a dollar.

 

[ChrystieBrewing]

Update.... Whenever I can remember once a day I have been purging the keg. Working out great! Still a smell but not as strong, much more bearable. Taste has also changed but thats probably because of time. Thanks for the help glad I didnt dump it.