How to eliminate the sulfur aroma from my WLP400 & 410 wits

[Tippsy-Turvy]

The 400 has been my default wit yeast and there had always been some slight sulfur aroma. So, having read that the 410 produced less sulfur and more spiciness, I gave it a try. Sadly its produced even more unpalatable sulfur. What can I do? All suggestions welcome.

I've read several posts and still can't see where I've erred. None of my other brews produce any sulfur so I know it's not a sanitation or DMS issue.

Here's my process: I boil any pilsner recipe for 90mins. For the recent 410 batch, I fermented at 68C, left in the primary for 3 weeks, bottled and left to condition for 5 weeks - a week at 72F and the rest at 68C. I just opened another bottle and there's still pungent sulfur.

Fermenting too cool/warm? Conditioning too short? Switch to Wyeast?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Start at 66, in two days let it rise to 68, hold it there another four days.
After about six days, let the temperature free rise, just try to keep it below 82-84, let it stay there for a week or so for it to fully finish. then drop it five to ten degrees a day until you hit 36 and keep it there until packaging time. WLP-400

Another tip is to blend a small amount of WLP-001 when you pitch the yeast, say 5-10% or so. This will help it finish in a timely manner and avoid the stall that often times can happen with that yeast. It can also help to clean this up, I believe.

It will quit generating heat when it runs out of things to chew on.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I haven't had this problem with WLP400, but I have had it with Hefeweizen strains (WLP351 & WY3068). I ferment in buckets and have found that if I loosely cover the fermenter with a sheet of foil instead of using the bucket lid, it allows the sulfur to escape more easily.

 

[LLBeanJ]

You can also try using copper to remove it. Search the web for "using copper to remove sulfur from beer" and you'll uncover some interesting stuff.

 

[dmtaylor]

Bottling too early. Wait at least 4 if not 5 weeks. Don't rack the beer at all during that whole time. Then after sufficient time, bottle as normal, but don't taste any for another 3 to 4 weeks. Problem will be much reduced. Time is your friend. This too shall pass. Wait a couple more weeks on the current batch. I'll bet the sulfur slowly fades away until it is finally gone or at least almost gone. Time.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

Great pointers guys. I've consistently conditioned for shorter periods after reading Brewing with Wheat, where the commercial wit brewers (apparently) all seem to ferment and condition for short periods to increase turnover.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

My understanding is that a witbier is supposed to consumed fresh, it would seem to me at 8 weeks it is getting old. I can go from grain to glass in a bit over two weeks on a witbier.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

My understanding is that a witbier is supposed to consumed fresh, it would seem to me at 8 weeks it is getting old. I can go from grain to glass in a bit over two weeks on a witbier.

Now you're opening another can of worms. So you think it's NOT a matter of prolonged conditioning? That would corroborate what the commercial wit brewers do in the Brewing with Wheat book. But then my fermentation schedule is not too different to yours - indeed I gave my last batch 3 weeks in the primary.

Perhaps it's a matter of oxygenation? I use an aquarium pump+diffusion stone set up and give my pitched wort a good 5 hours of aerating. This works a treat with all my other brews. Are you using pure oxygen?

 

[dmtaylor]

Now I'll go back and say if you're in a hurry, add some copper as someone else mentioned. Like throw a penny or small piece of copper tubing into your fermenter. Sounds crazy but it should help.

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Having this issue too. Fermented at 68 for about 7 days, then moved inside to ambient temp around 74 for another 7 days. It's now kegged, I think I'll vent the keg a few times over the next couple days and see what happens. It's an unfortunate by product because the beer is so delicate, that until it fades, it hides the hints of orange, coriander and chamomile that are in it.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

I haven't brewed a wit or wheat since but the next time I do I suspect my primary fermentation needs to be given much longer. Perhaps 1 week at the prescribed temp then a full 2 weeks at a higher temp to encourage the yeast to fully clean up after their partying.

I reckon if you had given your beer 2 weeks in the 74 temp range you would have been fine.

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Seems like I did hear that this yeast is "slow." Perhaps that's what they meant, slow to clean up.