Terrible smell from Dunkelweizen

[HolmA]

Three weeks ago I brewed a dunkelweizen about 6% ABV BIAB. Everything went normal - hit expected efficiency of around 75%, cooled to 60 F, pitched Lallemand Danstar Munich Wheat Beer (JUST pasted best before - we're talking a few days and in the fridge all the time) and started fermentation around 63 F. I kept the temp around 63-66 for 4 days until the very vigorous fermentation subsided and ramp up to 21 for 10 days.

Then I transferred to my secondary and noticed a really awful smell that seems to be a mixture between peppery phenols and well, farts - I've never had a bad smell coming from a batch of HB. It's been in secondary for about a week now and it still smells awfully farty and outright gross - like I really have to pull myself together to take a sip of the hydrosample, which taste somewhat phenolic, tart and really closer to a belgian double than a dunkelweizen..

- What possibly went wrong?
- Should I toss it - or is there any chance this will be drinkable OR better anything resembling a dark wheat?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Farty like sulphur-y farty? I am not sure what the equivalent strain the danstar dry yeast equals but, sulphur can sometimes be expressed by some of the german wheat yeasts, particularly if they get a little stressed out.

It could actually be DMS as well but that would be a boil issue. Did you use pilsner malt/do a 90 minute boil?

If it doesn't condition out in a couple weeks then I would guess it's probably a good candidate for random experiments. I've gotten the farty sulphur smell from a previous example of a dunkelweizen using 3333 strain from wyeast, missed the part where it expresses that sometimes. It eventually conditioned out in the bottle.

Also, gotta ask one other question. When you smelled it, did you go in for a big wiff with your face in the bucket? I've made this mistake where the CO2 blasts you in the nose and smells farty/burny.

 

[HolmA]

Farty like sulphur-y farty? I am not sure what the equivalent strain the danstar dry yeast equals but, sulphur can sometimes be expressed by some of the german wheat yeasts, particularly if they get a little stressed out.

I'm unsure.. - I haven't really experienced sulphury fermentations either.. I've mainly been brewing ales with very "safe choice" yeasts..

It could actually be DMS as well but that would be a boil issue. Did you use pilsner malt/do a 90 minute boil?

Naah I acutally used pale ale malt and pale wheat 50/50, 60 min vigorous boil - I can easily recognise DMS - and I partly enjoy it..

If it doesn't condition out in a couple weeks then I would guess it's probably a good candidate for random experiments. I've gotten the farty sulphur smell from a previous example of a dunkelweizen using 3333 strain from wyeast, missed the part where it expresses that sometimes. It eventually conditioned out in the bottle.

What experiment would you suggest?

Also, gotta ask one other question. When you smelled it, did you go in for a big wiff with your face in the bucket? I've made this mistake where the CO2 blasts you in the nose and smells farty/burny.

I've done both repeatedly - including smelling hydro-samples. They all smell like something you do not want to drink..

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Ah if its not DMS I'm betting its just the yeast expressing the sulphur. I would give it time to condition, I would almost bet it would mellow and condition out.

I guess it could be an infection but I shy away from saying infection when more often its just beer being beer (sometimes beer acts weird). I guess I'd let it go another 2-3 weeks if you don't desperately need the chamber space, dont taste it or test it for that time and just let it do its thing.

I just had a beer go real funky on me (big green apple aroma and flavor and finished at 1.002, like .010 lower than expected FG). So I *could* toss it, or brave bottling (they probably wouldve exploded). But it got nice and cold all of sudden so I said "well, screw it, I may as well try icing this beer down and see what happens", I mean, its already messed up and not what I wanted originally, why not experiment with icing to see what works/doesnt work when icing a beer. Turned 5 gallons of a funky dry green apple beer into 2 gallons of tasty malt liqour. Now I know what to do when I do an expensive batch of iced barley wine, all it was was a beer I would've tossed down the drain. The funky green apple dryness completely disappeared after the icing, don't know if it would do that to the farty-funk, but if you were ever wanting to do an ice beer, its certainly worth a try if you're just going to toss it.

If you love malt vinegar as much as I do (seriously its good on everything, malt vinegar on top of vanilla ice cream is heaven) you could make 5 gallons of malt vinegar (should last you until the universe collapses in on itself).

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

Is it like a gagging smell? I made an American wheat that filled my fermentation chamber with a choking smell of sulfur. I literally stuck my head down in the freezer to look at the carboy one it first kicked off with a vigorous fermentation too. When I stuck my head in there I started gagging to the point of what felt like choking. If that's what you're getting it's just a normal side of fermentation. It's a common side effect, and actually a good sign, not necessarily from stress. That Wheat tasted just fine and lasted a weekend when we had family in town and a bbq.

Sulfur Smell = Farts is my guess of what you're dealing with. Ever see those "stink" bombs you can sometimes buy at places like big fireworks stores? They're little breakable vials essentially filled with sulfur. When you break them they fill the area with a choking stank. Some people also say rotten eggs, but I've never smelled rotten eggs.

It should age out with out any hint of it once conditioned. Now the phenols and off tastes might be a different issue/side effect from the yeast. Although, I think if you gave it a little time to mellow you'll be fine.

 

[HolmA]

Could be rotten-like - mixed with peppery and/or clove

So I think I'll let it go two-three more weeks as you've advised - and then dump/experiment unless it has mellowed by then.. I don't think I'll go through bottling without being sure it pans out.

 

[turkeygecko]

Here is summary of Wyeast 3068. I know you didn't use this, but it's a very common strain for Dunkelweizen beers, and sulfur is commonly produced. Give it time, and should clean up.

"The classic and most popular German wheat beer strain used worldwide. This yeast strain produces a beautiful and delicate balance of banana esters and clove phenolics. The balance can be manipulated towards ester production through increasing the fermentation temperature, increasing the wort density, and decreasing the pitch rate. Over pitching can result in a near complete loss of banana character. Decreasing the ester level will allow a higher clove character to be perceived. Sulfur is commonly produced, but will dissipate with conditioning. This strain is very powdery and will remain in suspension for an extended amount of time following attenuation. This is true top cropping yeast and requires fermenter headspace of 33%."

 

[Rev2010]

It's completely normal You'll get this smell with most hefeweizen and Wit yeasts.


Rev.