Sulfur like odors in pear cyser

[Renoun]

I'm a fairly novice cider maker, I've made several small batches this fall fermenting between 1 and three gallons at a time. Other this this batch the results have been reliably good. I've been pretty good about gathering information about other things that interest me and I've been obsessively reading current and archived posts in this forum for the last couple of months. I'm confident that I've been diligent in my sanitation and careful to siphon rather than pour, etc. I need some help now salvaging my first pear fermentation.

11/11/13 OG 1.072
11/12/13 Pitched Yeast
11/17/13 1.048
11/22/13 1.024 & 1tsp yeast nutrient added
11/26/13 1.014
11/29/13 1.008
12/4/13 1.005

A friend pressed pears at her family's place and brought me 2.5 gal to ferment. They were with her for about 36 hours in moderate temperatures that probably didn't exceed 55F in sanitized containers but I don't know much about how the press and fruit were treated before I got the must. The gravity was 1.052 and the flavor was very good without any noticeably off elements (they actucally kept a bunch to drink as juice since it was so good). The must was very cloudy, had some rice grain sized pumice floating in it, and was slightly brown/tan in color (which I assume was from oxidation).

When I got it I added 25oz of clover honey which boosted the OG to 1.072, 1tsp of Brewcraft Yeast Nutrient (Thiamin, vit. B complex), and 2.5 camden tabs. After waiting 26 hours I re-hydrated half an 11g packet of Nottingham Ale Yeast in boiled/cooled water (used the other half to start a couple of gallon batches have been fine), let it cool to the temperature of the must, and pitched the yeast.

It's been in the basement near the furnace where the fermentor has been between 62F and 66F. I'm able to insert a sanitized hydrometer directly into the vessel to take readings. The glass vessel I'm fermenting it in is oddly shaped and has a bit of head space which I've been consistently purging with CO2 whenever I take a gravity reading. The fermentation has not been as active as my apple ciders in the same environment in that no krausden ever formed but there have always been bubbles visible in the must and coming out of the airlock. Ever since I took the first gravity reading I've been noticing unpleasant sulfer like smells and there was an off flavor when I housemates and I sampled it on the 26th. The cider still quite cloudy, probably unchanged since the start of fermentation. There are about 1" of lees in the bottom now.

I'm concerned that I may need to take steps to remedy the unpleasant smell/flavor since it seems to be persisting. I'll have a carboy available in the next couple of days if I want to rack it. I have assembled a section of 1/4" copper tube that can be attached to my auto-siphon since I've read that copper could be helpful in precipitating sulfur compounds. I'm undecided on whether I'll be back-sweetening it and if it will be served still or force carbonated.

Questions:

1. Is there a more obvious strategy for intervention before the fermentation completely finishes?
2. Is there any benefit to cold crashing now? I assume crashing will help with clearing.
3. When should I rack it?
4. Is there a more appropriate yeast nutrient I should seek out in the future?
5. Did I sabotage my batch by under-pitching my yeast?

Thanks all

 

[Yooper]

Sulfur smells are almost always a sign of stressed yeast.

It's a tough spot now, because you want to protect the perry from oxidation, and keep it topped up and airlocked, but yet the s02 needs to be treated.

You could try splash racking, and more yeast nutrient, and make sure to keep it in a carboy and topped up after that.


Otherwise, I have no other advice at this point. If it gets worse, copper might be the fix but I'm not experienced with that. I've been fortunate enough to never have to treat for H2S, but I know it will ruin the perry if it is H2S and not tackled. The best advice I've seen for H2S is on this site: http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/hydrogen_sulfide.htm

 

[Renoun]

Is splash racking through copper into an anoxyic environment a good first step? I'm still unclear as to whether the purpose is to oxidize the must or to agitate/degas it.

I'm pretty sure that H2S is a know it when you smell it compound but I'm going to stop by my homebrew store with a sample while I'm out running errands this afternoon for confirmation.

 

[Renoun]

11/11/13 OG 1.072
11/12/13 Pitched Yeast
11/17/13 1.048
11/22/13 1.024 & 1tsp yeast nutrient added
11/26/13 1.014
11/29/13 1.008
12/4/13 1.005
4/18/14 1.004

I suppose I should post a post script in case anybody with a similar issue is searching for information. I used copper sulfate followed by fining with sparkeloid and gelatin in late December. I was able to get rid of the sulfur odors by mid-February it was still cloudy. It really cleared dramatically in March.

I didn't have time to sample and try adjusting the flavor until mid-April. We found it to be very plain and lacking distinctive flavors. Neither titrated acid additions nor back-sweetening produced a satisfactory flavor. I do regret not oaking and further bulk aging a growler of this but we wound up blending it 1:1 with fully fermented apple cyser that had a FG of 1.05. It's bottle carbonating now and hopefully it will have been improved by blending.

In hindsight I'm not sure that I adequately aerated the must. I also regret being unable to supervise the pressing or sanitation of the press. Who knows if I'll have another try next fall, I might just blend when pressing.