# Stinky Fermentation



## PostModern (9/8/04)

I put on a brew on the weekend.

Can of Coopers Stout
1.3Kg JW Pale Ale Malt
500g No Name Quick Oats
100g Crystal
30g CaraAroma

I gave the minimash a protein rest for 20mins at 50C then ramped to 65C with addition of boiling water and left it at 65 for an hour. Batch sparged with 80C water and gave the mix a good 35 min boil (no extra hop additions).

To ferment, I did a rapid growth of a stubby of WLP023. Pitched into 1L of 1.040 DME solution on Friday and aerated it at every passing for a full 24 hours. By the time I pitched, it was actively growing. Fermentation started within about 1 hour of pitching and by the next morning airlock was bubbling more than once a second and it smelt fine all day yesterday. Fermenter temp is 19C

Today I came home and as soon as I walked in the door, I could smell something was amiss. I even checked the bottom of my shoes... a foul off aroma, not quite rotten egg, but something vaguely sulphury... just weird.

I reserved a bit of the yeast starter (as I was going to ramp it up to bottle) and it smells fine. Just the airlock exhaust from the fermenter is pretty bad.

Is it a characteristic of this yeast? Or of Oatmeal stouts? Did I need to boil the Quick Oats before mashing (ie cereal mash)?? I observed all my usual over-the-top sanitation rituals with iodophor room mister and tap disassembly and everything... can't help but think it smells like an infection, but I've never used this yeast before...

Somebody please tell me this yeast always smells like this and everything will be alright!!!!


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## big d (9/8/04)

hi pomo
ive only done one oatmeal stout and it is definetly not a sulphur smelling brew so i can only assume its the yeast.ive never used whitelabs so hopefully someone else has used this and can help out this part of the brew for you.

cheers
big d


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## PostModern (9/8/04)

Thanks big d.

I'm going to let it go for a while and see how it turns out but the smell is bad enough for me to not want the fermenter inside the house! I once tossed a suplhury smelling lager only to find out the smell is normal and eventually dissipates. Never smelt anything like this with an ale yeast tho.


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## bonk (9/8/04)

hi pomo, i've used this yeast once and that was last year so i'm no help to you at all. however the profile of the yeast is it produces esters like mad and has a mineraly (if such a word) profile. so i don't doubt that will make some unpesant smells.

i'll be making a batch again in the next week or two with the same yeast (multi grain ale) so i'll take note of the smell. 

also as another random useless thought, could it be that at 19C its below 20C and the 'coolish' temp is making at a little like a lager yeast, or i could be just talking out of my butt and have no idea


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## PostModern (10/8/04)

Found a post on Northernbrewer's forums where a couple of yanks reckon the fermentation smell was very bad. I don't think 1 would make that much of a difference but yeah, it is about a degree outside the recommended range. I might tuck it up under a blanket tonight with a hot kettle. Might help the ester development in the weizen sitting next to it as well.

Anyway, thanks for the input bonk. Would be interested if you get the smell too. I was thinking of harvesting some of the yeast from this primary for an IPA. Would hate to waste 2 beers on a tainted yeast


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## devilsaltarboy (10/8/04)

I have had previous problems of off sulfur type odours in my ales before where it wasnt characteristic, yes to the stage I was going to ditch them. The smell however dissipated after a few weeks and was undetectable in the final product. Let it sit for a few weeks and see what happens im sure it will dissipate slowly if it is not an infection.


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## nonicman (21/8/04)

I'm currently using this yeast. Currently fermenting a AG stout and a bitter with this yeast. I've had 3 brews prior with this yeast and it does stink during fermentation. During the first few days I skim the yeasties from the top whenever it blows the top of looks like it will. I find that this yeast takes a little longer to ferment, leaves a bit of a mess and makes a very drinkable beer. The stink goes away with racking.

Just racked the stout, the FG reading is 1009. It started out with OG of 1070. Guess this is not the prime yeast for stouts.


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## Jovial_Monk (22/8/04)

The yeast cake and suspended yeast will eat up sulphur and diacetyl, one reason i leave my beers in primary for 2 weeks

Jovial Monk


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## Tallgum (22/8/04)

Hey Jovial Monk,do you leave your initial fermentation on the yeast cake for 2 weeks with all beers, as im confused , some brewers rack to secondary fementation after 7 to 10 days as they claim that this gives a cleaner tasting beer. Thanks mate.


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## bonk (27/9/04)

hi all, (sorry for bringing up a dead horse)

how has peoples beers turned out with this one, i've just bottled my ipa that i used with it and its has a slight sulphury taste to it, give it a month before tasting again???

thanks


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## nonicman (27/9/04)

What the.... was it only that long ago. Bottled both brews a few days after posting. Both turned out fine. We've had guests for the last few weeks. Both beers were very good (both suffered multiple stuck sparges so had to go) :chug: :chug: I have a brew that uses this yeast on the go now and with alot less HSA. This is my favourite yeast at the moment, but my liquid yeast experience is ver limited (3 different types.)


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