Strong smell when first opened after fermentaion

[dwaite47]

My brew partner and I brewed a extract witbeir. Boil went well. Fermented for two weeks at 68* with included coriander and orange peel packet. When we opened up the fermenter there was a very strong alcohol smell that burnt the nostrils. After about 5 minutes the smell went away so we bottled it any way. Is our brew ruined or should everything be fine?

 

[Nugent]

The burning of the nostrils is what happens when you take a whiff of the carbon dioxide that's sitting in the fermenter. It's a fermentation by-product and is heavier than air, which is why it was present when you opened things up.

Taste is the only way to judge whether a beer is good or not.

You're probably fine.

 

[Ogri]

I wouldn't worry about it too much as that was probably just the CO2 "blanket" sitting on top of the brew that you took a big snort of. Yeah, it smarts a bit if you're not prepared for it.

 

[dwaite47]

Thanks guys for the quick and informative response. I will be at ease for the next two weeks. Thanks

 

[Unibrow]

It's a strong and incapacitating smell of non oxidized beer, all good!