Fermentation Smell Burns My Throat

[BVilleggiante]

So...I brewed a German Wheat beer on Saturday and when I went to go smell the fermentation lock today I was taken back. I smelled a slight banana, but there was something else present that burned the back of my throat when I inhaled. It was very strong and I have no idea what it was. Any thoughts?

Also, I brewed 10 gallons and split it into two fermentors, each with a different yeast. One fermenter blew the fermentation lock off the top and spilled over the carboy while the other is just fermenting at a normal pace with a normal amount of krausen. I think I know the answer, but is this normal and totally dependent on the yeast?

 

[danmdevries]

CO2 can take your breath away and can have the "burning" character you describe.

Give it a couple weeks and reevaluate.

 

[wailingguitar]

burned? sounds like a big wiff of CO2

2nd issue is probably the 2 different yeasts, yes

 

[thebigt85]

CO2 is an acid, so that burning is irritation from breathing it in.

Probably the yeast is the culprit. Were they the same sized fermenters?

 

[lumpher]

when a beer is fermenting, it will give off sulphur, which can burn a little. it's expected. as for the split batch, yes, it is yeast-dependent, and more aggressive yeasts can blow the roof out, while others barely even krausen

 

[BVilleggiante]

Thank you both. Just did a search after my post and yes, it sounds like I inhaled a bunch of co2 when I stuck my head in my chest freezer. On a positive note, I am by far not the only one to have done this. That is quite the eye opener if you're not expecting it.

 

[samc]

Almost passed out once from a leaking CO2 tank in the keezer. Nasty ! and potentially deadly if you get too much of it. With a 5 gallon batch you are pretty much just getting a lesson in not sticking your nose where it don't belong.

 

[RM-MN]

Stop sniffing the airlock. What you smell there and what the beer tastes like are unrelated. If my saying so doesn't convince you let me lead you to a yeast that outgasses some sulfur compounds and let you sniff the airlock then. You'll learn quickly.

 

[JonM]

Patient: "It hurts when I do this."
Groucho: "So don't do that."

 

[Revvy]

It's really a simple matter, don't sniff your airlock....There's really no reason to do so, nothing substantial can be gleaned from it (fermentation usually stinks, and that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it) so there's not point. Just like there's not point in hovering over it like it's a newborn baby. The yeast can do fine on their own without our noodling and interference. Pitch your yeast and walk away.