Wit with Sulfur - Age Warm or Cold

[Douglefish]

Ok, I just brewed a wit and it took about 2 weeks to finish. It slowed way down and then I heard to swirl it TOOK OFF. Finished 3 days later. Anyway, there is a significant sulphur smell I would like to get rid of. I've heard it's normal with this yeast. At this point I've put it into a keg, should I...

1) Leave it a room temp hoping the yeast clean it up?
2) Put it in the fridge and let it drop out there?
3) Put it in the fridge carb it up, and then degas it to remove the sulfur?

I'm not exactly sure how sulfur is physically removed, by yeast or because it's volatile.

Thanks in advance?

 

[basilchef]

just made a wit with wlp410. i got the same thing but 1 1/2 weeks into bottle conditioning it has gone down significantly and is just a tiny bit residual. tastes like the magic hat hef but with more body. it should clear up with time and conditioning.

 

[weremichael]

After I keg my wits, I force carb them and serve them (I like the sulfur taste). I noticed that it does down after about three weeks or so. The same thing holds true if I only force carb and let it sit for a couple weeks at about 60 degrees.

 

[Douglefish]

basilchef, so do you believe that I should age cool or warm? I guess that is the fundamental question. Does having "Active" yeast have anything to do with cleaning up sulfur?

 

[Revvy]

if you want the yeast to do something, you "age" warm. If you make the beer cold, all you are doing (if it's an ale) is dropping yeast out of suspension.

If it's a lager then the yeast is active in the cold...So you would lager it to clean up the sulphur. You do the opposite for an ale.

 

[basilchef]

After I keg my wits, I force carb them and serve them (I like the sulfur taste). I noticed that it does down after about three weeks or so. The same thing holds true if I only force carb and let it sit for a couple weeks at about 60 degrees.

yeah age warm. you dont want the yeast to fall. -cheers hope it works out.

 

[maida7]

I don't think the yeast will clean up the sulfur. In my experience the sulfur needs to some out with the co2 during the ferment. If it was in a fermenter this would work on it's own but sealed in a keg it can't escape. So I'd recommend carbing the keg cold then warm it back up and degas it. All the sulfur will blow out with the co2 when you degas the carbonation.

 

[diS]

I don't think the yeast will clean up the sulfur. In my experience the sulfur needs to some out with the co2 during the ferment. If it was in a fermenter this would work on it's own but sealed in a keg it can't escape. So I'd recommend carbing the keg cold then warm it back up and degas it. All the sulfur will blow out with the co2 when you degas the carbonation.

Agree.
Sulfur needs to be driven off during fermentation and yeast can"t reabsorb it as other flavor compounds.

One solution C. White recommend is to force carb it, then release pressure every hour or so during day and re-carbonate it at night. Taste it after 2-3 days and see do you need to repeat it. Downside is that you are foaming beer w/this process, so it can affect head retention if you repeat it several times.