Kegged Hefeweizen - Sulfur smell

[Brewddah]

I just tried my Hefeweizen, which has been carbonating for a week. It has a mild sulfur smell, which I did not notice when I kegged it. When I tried it before kegging, all I smelled was banana and clove. It was perfect! What could have happened? I'm also assuming nothing can be done at this point.

 

[Pappers_]

Sulfur is almost always a yeast derived aroma. I'm not sure how common it is with Hefeweizens, that's a style I neither enjoy nor brew so can't say from experience. Generally, the sulfur will dissipate or lessen over time, so perhaps a little patience. When you pour it in a glass and let it sit, does it go away?

 

[Brewddah]

I haven't let a glass just sit for a while. I'll give it a try and see what happens. I've also been opening the relief valve on the keg in hopes to just purge it out.

 

[enkamania]

I used Weihenstephan Weizen yeast in my hefe and the fermenter smelled like an exhaust pipe.

 

[Brewddah]

In fermentation, I'm not surprised. I've had similar experiences with belgian wit yeasts. But this was bizarre because the smell was not noticeable when I tried a sample prior to kegging. I also did a 90 minute boil, and chilled the beer in less than an hour, so I'd like to think that DMS isn't the issue here.

The smell seems to be going away since I've been opening the relief valve on the keg. I just wish I could have avoided this somehow.

 

[JonM]

3068 has gotten pretty stinky on me, but not always. It's kind of unpredictable which batches are going to have the rhino farts or not. The sulfur always goes away with conditioning, though.

ETA: this is your first pull off the keg? Then you've gotten a big glass of the yeast that settled to the bottom. That's your sulfury stuff. Once that's drawn off, I bet the smell is gone. 3-4 glasses and I bet you're in good shape.

 

[dmtaylor]

Sulfur is extremely common with hefeweizens. There's no problem. It should disappear on its own in another week or two.

 

[Brewddah]

ETA: this is your first pull off the keg? Then you've gotten a big glass of the yeast that settled to the bottom. That's your sulfury stuff. Once that's drawn off, I bet the smell is gone. 3-4 glasses and I bet you're in good shape.

It was the first glass! I've only been taking taster-size samples since then. Maybe I just need to have a couple full glasses!

 

[njviking]

I used Weihenstephan Weizen yeast in my hefe and the fermenter smelled like an exhaust pipe.

Yep.

time is your friend on this one.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Yep.

time is your friend on this one.

And enemy, Hefe's are best while young...so dont go sticking this in kegerator and forgetting about it for 3 months..

 

[TheMadKing]

sulfer is a desirable trait in Hefe's to an extent, just give it a week or so and it'll smooth out