Sulfur

[mygar]

So, I tested an early bottled Kolsch just to see how it was developing. Have to say .. think it will be good. I did notice a slight whiff of sulfur, however. This beer was fermented with saflager w-34/70 ... and yes it did throw some sulfer when fermenting.

Will this dissipate with more maturation... or is it trapped in bottle? I figured its trapped.

I only brewed half the kit... so next time I will be sure to give it more time in fermenter.

 

[JimRausch]

Some yeasts throw more sulfur smell than others, but it should dissipate with a little more time. But, coming from the cider and mead side of things, sulfur smell= stressed yeast. Add more yeast nutrients at the beginning to prevent it, and don't forget to oxygenate well. Treat your yeast well, and they will treat you well.

 

[JimRausch]

oops. Reread your post and saw that it was already bottled. The sulfur dioxide smell (I think it's SO2,burnt match) will degas but it has no place to go in the bottle. If you let it degas after pouring, you'll also lose your head. Dilemma.

 

[VikeMan]

I did notice a slight whiff of sulfur, however. This beer was fermented with saflager w-34/70 ... and yes it did throw some sulfer when fermenting.

Will this dissipate with more maturation... or is it trapped in bottle? I figured its trapped.

If you're talking about "rotten egg" (H2S), any dissolved oxygen (or copper) in the beer can remove it over time.

 

[dmtaylor]

Sulfur usually ages out in about 3 weeks, plus or minus.

 

[mygar]

Some yeasts throw more sulfur smell than others, but it should dissipate with a little more time. But, coming from the cider and mead side of things, sulfur smell= stressed yeast. Add more yeast nutrients at the beginning to prevent it, and don't forget to oxygenate well. Treat your yeast well, and they will treat you well.

Well I did the best I could. I have not made a starter before or do I have nutrients. But I did rehydrate and shook my carboy several minutes to oxygenate. Interesting, I was not aware sulfur smell was indicative of a stressed yeast.

 

[mygar]

If you're talking about "rotten egg" (H2S), any dissolved oxygen (or copper) in the beer can remove it over time.

Yes a hint of rotten egg. My wife cant smell it, but my nose seems to be pretty good! There is no taste of sulfer.. just a whiff that seemed to dissipate after minutes.

 

[mygar]

Sulfur usually ages out in about 3 weeks, plus or minus.

Nice ... hope so. This includes aging out in the bottle?

 

[BreeBrew]

Sulfur has nothing to do with stressed yeast. Sulfur is released during primary fermentation. So if you smell it in your beer the primary fermentation was (way) too short.
Click to see off-flavors-caused-by-yeast on 8degreesplato.com

 

[mygar]

The beer fermented for 14 days... think it was pretty much finished. The rotten egg smell went away after 7/8 days or so. When I decided to bottle I did not notice any smell then. But noticed a slight whiff from a young bottle... but it quickly dissipated.

But yea next time I brew with this yeast and its throwing sulfer... will give it more time to clean up.

 

[VikeMan]

Sulfur has nothing to do with stressed yeast. Sulfur is released during primary fermentation. So if you smell it in your beer the primary fermentation was (way) too short.

Sulfur (specifically H2S) is indeed produced in every fermentation. But yeast stressed by very low pitch rates or a nitrogen deficiency can produce more of it.

 

[JimRausch]

(I think it's SO2,burnt

Oops again. Vikeman is correct H2S, not SO2. And, based on many posts in the mead section, his answer about stressed yeast and nitrogen deficiency is also my understanding.

 

[dmtaylor]

Nice ... hope so. This includes aging out in the bottle?

Yes indeed. And if 3 weeks isn't quite enough, wait a little longer. I have been bottling every batch since 1999. My experience is that sulfur ALWAYS ages out, every single time. Just the amount of time might vary a bit. I don't recall a batch ever taking longer than 6-8 weeks to lose all its sulfur, and ~3 weeks is most typical or average.

 

[mygar]

Yes indeed. And if 3 weeks isn't quite enough, wait a little longer. I have been bottling every batch since 1999. My experience is that sulfur ALWAYS ages out, every single time. Just the amount of time might vary a bit. I don't recall a batch ever taking longer than 6-8 weeks to lose all its sulfur, and ~3 weeks is most typical or average.

Nice that's great to hear!!