Rotten eggs!

[brizleciderarmy]

I recently decided to get a batch of bitter on the go for my birthday at the end of next month. Its just a standard Brewbuddy bitter kit. Its been fermenting for about 6-7 days. I took the lid off of the bucket to take a hydro reading only to get battered by the stench of eggs. The significant other even came out of the next room quoting something along the lines of "W T F is that smell" with a screwed up face. :lol:


I did 2 things different from normal on this batch:

• First, i added an extra half a bag of sugar just make it a tad bit stronger.[/*:m:39o8fgo0]
• second, i dechlorinated the water with a Campden tablet.[/*:m:39o8fgo0]

Fingers crossed :pray: that its nothing major and i can still keg as normal. Something in the back of my mind tells me
that its probably just sulfur being released from the Campden tablet. I got a sterilised spoon and tasted a bit of the brew and it seems to taste ok.

Just thought i would run this by you all to see if you've had a similar experiences.

 

[Frisp]

Doesnt sound good.....???? :cry:

 

[MankySteve]

While I'm a newbe to the homebrew scene. I do know that rotten eggs smell is Sulphur from food spoiling bacteria. I wouldn't drink it.

 

[Moley]

Fermentation can give off all sorts of weird whiffs.

I would usually expect sulphurous smells from cider and some wines, can't say I've ever noticed it from beers, but it should pass after a few days.

Leave it alone, it will be fine :thumb:

 

[RobWalker]

Fermentation can give off all sorts of weird whiffs.

I would usually expect sulphurous smells from cider and some wines, can't say I've ever noticed it from beers, but it should pass after a few days.

Leave it alone, it will be fine :thumb:

Lager does too apparently. It's not uncommon, it's sulpher dioxide (I think?) that is a side product of fermentation and disappears entirely in time.

 

[brizleciderarmy]

Thanks for the replies, i feel confident now that the batch is not spoiled.

2 days until kegging. That be judgment day on the smell front!

 

[klaus]

Thanks for the replies, i feel confident now that the batch is not spoiled.

2 days until kegging. That be judgment day on the smell front!

What is the taste like? It should probably give you a better indication than just the smell.
Anyway, good luck - just going to crack open the Brewferm Christmas Beer.....
Happy Christmas!

 

[brizleciderarmy]

What is the taste like? It should probably give you a better indication than just the smell.
Anyway, good luck - just going to crack open the Brewferm Christmas Beer.....
Happy Christmas!

Tastes a bit yeasty but i put that down to the fact it hasn't cleared yet. Other than that just flat beer. As fot the Christmas beer... 'Accidentally' opened that 2 weeks ago :drink:

 

[Bribie]

Lager yeasts typically produce rotten egg gas (Hydrogen Sulphide) and I almost invariably get it with lager fermentations, but of course they are left to sit for longer than ales and clean themselves up. Now when I lived in the UK I always did ales but often got H2S as well and wonder if it's other factors.

Comes to mind:

Water with a lot of sulphates in (Calcium Sulphate = Gypsum, or Magnesium Sulphate = Epsom Salts)
FV that has done a lager brew and has got some residual lager yeasties lurking in the plastic / tap area etc.
Maybe poor oxygenation that has stressed the yeast.

What yeast did you use - was it just a yeast sachet that came with the kit? I'd look at that first and maybe quiz the suppliers.

 

[shocker]

I have done a few lagers lately and all have thrown out some nasty , eggy smells . Not enough to fill a room though . Apart from that the OP is about a bitter kit...... :hmm:

 

[brizleciderarmy]

Thought i would issue a quick update.
This has been in the keg for 12 days. Curiosity got the better of me and i drew off a whiskey glass full from the keg to see how its getting along. Egg smell is completely gone but it tastes like a wet cardboard box! (never tasted one but just guessing)

Fingers crossed a few more weeks of conditioning will get rid of that taste.

 

[abeyptfc]

the coopers european lager i brewed was hoaching of rotten eggs aswell but it disappeared after a while

 

[SE10PAT]

Egg smell is completely gone but it tastes like a wet cardboard box! (never tasted one but just guessing)quote]

I dont think the wet cardboard box taste is a good thing mate, it could be oxidized. Not quite sure if that is correct but one of the more experienced members might have some ideas.

Hope its not though

 

[Dunfie]

SE10PAT is correct - a wet cardboard taste is an indication of oxidation. This has probably been introduced when you transferred to from the primary.

 

[critch]

oxidised cardboardy tastes never go. im afraid its feked...as posted probably introduced too much oxygen on transfer try underfilling(sterile line all the way to the bottom of the keg and let it fill up)if possible.

 

[Devonhomebrew]

Yeast sometimes gives a cardboard taste. Just leave it for a couple more weeks should be gone by then.

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DevonHomebrew