Aussie Standard Lager Sulphur Twang Off Keg

[Bribie G]

I've had sulphur twangs before but this is the first one whilst kegging. It's a simple SMASH with Superpride and Swiss Dried Lager Yeast S-189. I fermented it for about two weeks at 15 degrees during which time it produced a typical lager sulphur, a week's cold crash for fining (Isinglass) , about a week in the keg at ambient and it's been in the keg at 6 degrees for 8 days conditioning etc. It's a pleasant megaswilly Aus Lager but has a sulphur rotten eggs nose. It's not too offensive but is it likely to dissipate over the next couple of weeks if I don't touch the keg, or should I just grit my teeth and drink my way through the keg anyway?

Yes I know it could have benefited from a months lagering in the cold fridge but the reason I used the S-189 was because it's supposedly quick and clean, and Ross was saying he knows guys who actually use it at ale temperatures with no problems and crank out a lager in less than a month. I think Pocket Beers posted on it at one stage?

 

[RagingBull]

Mate,

Did a similar one with B-Saaz Bittering and Flavour Additions with the swiss lager yeast from CB (repackaged s-189). Lager fementation for 2 weeks at ~10-12deg C with diacetyl rest. It was less smelly during fermentation than usual lager yeasts i've used (first time for s-189).

As expected I can drink it back no problems, however the nose is a little offputting. It has been in the keg all gassed upfor a good 2-3 weeks now, however tasted a week ago with these same complaints you have.

 

[buttersd70]

perhaps you could purge it with co2? I've read about it, but haven't tried it...
take keg out. let it come to ambient, purge keg, attach gas to beer out at lowest possible pressure, turn gas on with release valve open, to bubble co2 up through the beer and out of the keg. Then rechill and recarbonate.

As I said....never tried it, only read about it. Anyone done this?

edit for emphasis

 

[RagingBull]

I only have two taps and a fridge capacity of 3 kegs, so i just disconnected one of the other two i have going so as to taste the product of the S-189.
I would say the disappointing nose of last week (primary two weeks, keg for two weeks) has dissipated from a rating of say 6/10 (10 being the highest rating of sulphur smell, absolutely intolerable to the non-homebrewer) to now; I (and swmbo - a non-homebrew consuming candidate, participating by smell only) would say the sulphur aroma has a rating of 2/10.
Perhaps in a week or more i would assume this keg to lose the sulphur nose, however i would imagine there are some more patient folk out there that will actually lager their beers, prior to force carbing them for consumption; therefore not accentuating the sulphur aroma found present in this particular (impatient) beer experience.

 

[daemon]

From my limited use (one lager!) I found S-189 better than yeasts like S-23 by a long mile, however it still took about 3-4 weeks lagering for the sulphur to dissipate to the point where it became a proper beer. At that stage the taste was remarkably clean and crisp and pretty much perfect after about 6 weeks. Not too bad but still too fiddly for me to worry about in comparison to ales.

I've just rushed a quasi-mild beer through to fill a keg and even after just 5 days fermentation (US-05 @ 18c), 2 days cold conditioning it's very drinkable. It's certainly not as clean as using proper lager yeast but still streets ahead of drinking mega-swill type lagers. I'd rather wait 7 days and not have to worry about low ferment temps vs the extra effort required for lagering.

 

[mckenry]

This is the only topic I could find when searching for isinglass & sulphur in the one thread. So, to ask a similar question, first I'll outline the method.

AG brew (Tonys LCBA clone)
Used whirlfloc
No chill.
US-05 yeast.

Pitched @ 1.055 roughly.
Temp control at 19C until 1.016, upped to 20C for last 3 days or so.
Finished at 1.010 in primary.

Prepared my isinglass in 5C water - 5C is a guess, but it was in the fridge covered in cling wrap for hours. Cold to the touch.
Mixed the powder well, over about half an hour.

Put isinglass mixture into a scondary fermenter.
Racked to secondary. I use a tube from tap to tap and gravity to do the work.
Crash chill to 2C.
After 3 days filter & keg.

Now the problem: The nose. It smells like sulphur, but tastes good.
The sulphur was NOT present at racking to secondary. Tasted great at this point, from the hydrometer.
Is the isinglass causing this?
Can it be possible my scales are inaccurate at this small weight and I've added too much isinglass which causes this?
Reminder: This is US-05, not a lager yeast.

Any ideas?

 

[Bribie G]

I only have two taps and a fridge capacity of 3 kegs, so i just disconnected one of the other two i have going so as to taste the product of the S-189.
I would say the disappointing nose of last week (primary two weeks, keg for two weeks) has dissipated from a rating of say 6/10 (10 being the highest rating of sulphur smell, absolutely intolerable to the non-homebrewer) to now; I (and swmbo - a non-homebrew consuming candidate, participating by smell only) would say the sulphur aroma has a rating of 2/10.
Perhaps in a week or more i would assume this keg to lose the sulphur nose, however i would imagine there are some more patient folk out there that will actually lager their beers, prior to force carbing them for consumption; therefore not accentuating the sulphur aroma found present in this particular (impatient) beer experience.

Likewise after another week or so the sulphur is a lot less noticeable.


RE the isinglass, yes I did use it in this brew and also I did a light ale on Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire and there is the hint of sulphur in that, although I didn't put any sulphates in the water, but used Isinglass. Hmmmm very interesting, that yeast is the very last one that you would expect to chuck a lager 'twang'. I'm doing an identical brew and I'll fine this one with gelatine, or filter it if I can get a filter in time, and see how it turns out.

 

[mckenry]

Just want to bump this for the arvo crowd.
Thanks.

This is the only topic I could find when searching for isinglass & sulphur in the one thread. So, to ask a similar question, first I'll outline the method.

AG brew (Tonys LCBA clone)
Used whirlfloc
No chill.
US-05 yeast.

Pitched @ 1.055 roughly.
Temp control at 19C until 1.016, upped to 20C for last 3 days or so.
Finished at 1.010 in primary.

Prepared my isinglass in 5C water - 5C is a guess, but it was in the fridge covered in cling wrap for hours. Cold to the touch.
Mixed the powder well, over about half an hour.

Put isinglass mixture into a scondary fermenter.
Racked to secondary. I use a tube from tap to tap and gravity to do the work.
Crash chill to 2C.
After 3 days filter & keg.

Now the problem: The nose. It smells like sulphur, but tastes good.
The sulphur was NOT present at racking to secondary. Tasted great at this point, from the hydrometer.
Is the isinglass causing this?
Can it be possible my scales are inaccurate at this small weight and I've added too much isinglass which causes this?
Reminder: This is US-05, not a lager yeast.

Any ideas?

 

[Fents]

mckenry. did you use b saaz? it could be that, ive got some really weird smells off it before. just kegged a cream ale hopped with liberty and fermented with US05 and it had a slight sulphur to it in primary. i know its not the yeast.

still could be isinglass tho, ive never used it.

 

[mckenry]

mckenry. did you use b saaz? it could be that, ive got some really weird smells off it before. just kegged a cream ale hopped with liberty and fermented with US05 and it had a slight sulphur to it in primary. i know its not the yeast.

still could be isinglass tho, ive never used it.

Yes I used the B Saaz. Thing is though, it smelt good out of primary. Can this change just due to secondary?