Problems with my come-back brew?

[Bouza]

My first batch in about 6 years...
I brewed an IPA with White Labs California Ale Yeast on Saturday.

The last time I brewed I remembered a leak at the input of my wort chiller so I spent some time last week attaching new tubing and clamps to hold it in place. Unfortunately, during the chilling process, the new output connection leaked a bit into the cooling wort. I shrugged it off and transferred into my carboy, pitched the yeast, and placed it into my closet.

Now it seems I could have a problem. While not completely unbearable, the smell did wake me up in the middle of the night. It smelled like the aftermath of a run-in with the local mexican buffet... not nice.
I was sure it would pass, however, the smell remains... in my closet. I actually had to get dressed out of that closet AND go to work wearing ass-infused clothing. Not cool.

I do NOT remember anything like this in any previous experience.
I also know that it is a bit early but I'd love to know if anyone else has experienced this (beyond a wheat brew).

I'm thinking the small leak in the wort caused this issue.

Many thanks.

 

[Brett0424]

It's possible you have some bacteria fermenting your brew if the inside of your wort chiller wasn't sanitized. Remember though, fermentations put out all sorts of smells. If you're fermenting warm (what temp is it at?) that would make a really active, smelly fermentation even more likely.

 

[Passload]

That yeast will smell like A** So I take it that the yeast are doing the job. I think it will be fine. So RDWHAHB

 

[Bouza]

I'm sitting at about 72-73 degrees... and yes, it does seem to be pretty active. The interior of the chiller was not sanitized. How would I go about that?

 

[Passload]

I'm sitting at about 72-73 degrees... and yes, it does seem to be pretty active. The interior of the chiller was not sanitized. How would I go about that?

I run star-san through mine then cap it off until ready to use.

 

[Blender]

I would bet your brew is gonna be OK if all the rest of the gear was in a clean and sanitized state. I think the smell may just from being concentrated in a closet without a lot of ventilation.

 

[Bouza]

Are you making a connection directly to a bottling bucket (full of star san)?
I'm just wondering how to push the solution through without diluting it too much.

 

[Passload]

Are you making a connection directly to a bottling bucket (full of star san)?
I'm just wondering how to push the solution through without diluting it too much.

Yeah, but I don't use a full bucket of star-san. I just hook it up to the bucket and run it through until it runs from the end of the chiller. I then just cap off the ends of the chiller.

 

[Bouza]

Beautiful! I wish I had thought to do that.
Thanks guys! Hopefully, the smell will subside. If not... it's a lesson learned.

 

[Blender]

Is this an immersion chiller or a counterflow chiller?

 

[GNBrews]

I'm assuming you're using an immersion chiller? If so, there's no need to sanitize the inside of it. The only thing that should be coming into contact with the inside of the chiller would be the tap water you're using to cool it, and the water shouldn't have any sugars or nutrients that would support microorganisms. Even if you were to sanitize it, after a few gallons had passed through, the sanitizer would be long gone and any bacteria that are in your tap water (hopefully not many) would be there again to infect your wort if the connections leak.

Like Passload said, that yeast is known to produce sulfury smells during fermentation. Don't worry about it until you get a chance to take a gravity reading and do a taste test. I bet the brew is just fine.

 

[Bouza]

It's an Immersion Chiller.

 

[Bouza]

That makes perfect sense.
I'm feeling much better about the situation.
Thanks!

 

[Blender]

It's an Immersion Chiller.

What GN said then. Correct the leak and all should be golden.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Hope the batch turns out great, but I would leave it in the kitchen with a wet towel around it to keep it cool and block the light. It may be hard to explain at work why you do smell like a brewery. I tried it and I had to show my co-workers to prove it. Now I have a hard time keeping them away from my kegerator.

Also, with an immersion cooler, just put it in the boil 15 minutes prior to flame out, that heat should kill almost anything that would mess with a beer. I also adjust my IC so the connections hang out and over my pot so if any connections leak they do not go into the wort.