SO2 smell and dissipation

[beerjunky828]

I am under the assumption that SO2 can be caused by the yeast "cleaning" up and not given the amount of time needed. I mlldly smelled SO2 before bottling. After 1 week (early I know) the beer still smells of SO2. Will the smell ever go away?

 

[Got Trub?]

If you bottled it it may not. Most of the SO2 is driven off during primary fermentation, the rest dissipates during lagering and should be gone before you bottle. You have now trapped that SO2 in the bottle. The yeast may metabolize it but I'm not sure that they do.

GT

 

[beerjunky828]

So the yeast was not given enough time to drive off the smell?? For some reason I figured the bottles would smell like sulfur. The beer taste delicious but it has a hint of SO2.

Thanks for the input!!

to learning!!

 

[Figbash]

You must be thinking of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It is the rotten egg smell that comes from fermenting certain yeasts at too high a temperature. H2S is a gas, so some of it will dissipate when you pour the beer, but you'll just have to live with what's left. Next time, switch to a different yeast and/or keep your fermentation temps under 70 degrees.

Tom

 

[beerjunky828]

Yes H2S thats right. It was the first time that I have used liquid yeast successfully. So I believe the fermentation temp was too high.

Thanks