Sour smell

[gclay]

I just racked my session beer into a glass carboy and I noticed a real sour smell. I added 1.5oz of fresh orange peel with 10 mins left in the boil, my first time adding orange. Would that be the cause, or is it something like an infection? When I put the wort into the fermenter most of the trub went in as well. Also it was my first time using cascade hops, could that be it also?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Double_D]

How does it taste? That's the better distinguishing characteristic.

 

[gclay]

Didn't taste it, I'll take a sample tomorrow.

 

[unionrdr]

I've smelled/tasted hydrometer samples testing for 1st FG that had a sharp/sour tones to them. Imo,it's just young,green beer where hops/zest/spices,etc haven't matured/mingled yet. Not to mention,how carbonation changes these qualities as the beer ages to lift them up for us to experience.

 

[Revvy]

To many people the small amount of co2 present in fermentation smells sour.

 

[gclay]

Beer tasted fine but the smell almost knocked me on my ass. I'll have to wait and see.

 

[Double_D]

Generally I'd take the word of Revvy as law. The Co2 can be overpowering though.

 

[unionrdr]

That's why I stopped using cooper's carbonation drops. They work well,but at 7 weeks or so in the bottle,I started getting that co2 bite,& soda pop bubbles. Bulk priming fixed it very well indeed! I'll be bulk priming from now on.
Only problem is,that with my Whiskely Ale,bulk priming may be tricky. My bottling bucket doubles as a secondary...even primary in a pinch. I set it up that way. But now,I have to remove the chip bag,& bulk prime in that same bucket. Just don't wanna stir up the trub pouring the priming solution in.
I like the qualities of bulk priming,but don't want to get more trub in the bottles. Even though it has been racked off the yeast cake.

 

[IrregularPulse]

If it knocked you on your hiny, I'd say it was the CO2 blanket you were whiffing. Very sharp (sourish) to the nose!

 

[Malintent]

If it knocked you on your hiny, I'd say it was the CO2 blanket you were whiffing. Very sharp (sourish) to the nose!

agreed... enough to burn your nose hairs off.

 

[IrregularPulse]

agreed... enough to burn your nose hairs off.

Definitely! Yet, despite brewing for over 3 years, I still pull the lid off the fermenter, take a whiff, and burn my nose hairs off.

 

[jsweet]

Definitely! Yet, despite brewing for over 3 years, I still pull the lid off the fermenter, take a whiff, and burn my nose hairs off.

I made Yooper's DFH 60 clone (extract version) a little while back (best beer I've made so far by a long shot -- thanks Yoop!) and the smell coming out the airlock was actually pretty awesome on that one, especially after dry-hopping. I kept coming back and smelling it over and over again...

All the rest of my beers, though, yeah, it just smells sour and acidy, a mix of CO2 and StarSan. Blech.

 

[gclay]

thanks guys, now I don't have to worry.