Bad Smell Coming From Fermenter? Yeast Or Infection?

[grinder]

G'day guys.
I put down an AG Pilsener last weekend and pitch a WLP802 yeast. I have never used this yeast before, but I am concerned about the stink coming from my fermenter.

I have used the Wyeast pilsener urquell yeast and I got alot of sulpher aroma from that one but this one different.

I can't quite put my finger on the smell. It is quite a sweet fragrance almost flowery maybe slightly buttery, like nothing I have ever smelt before. I used nothing but saaz hops for bittering and aroma, ( I don't know if that has anything to do with it).

Anyway, I got a bit concerned as it took a good 3 days for fermentation to begin after pitching the vial (I didn't make a starter) and I though that this smell may be due to an infection as a result of the lag time. Or is it just the yeast?

It seems to be fermenting quite well now at 10 degrees C in the brew fridge. I tasted it, and if you look past the aroma the wort seems to taste OK. Although, It is quite hard to taste it without the smell hitting you in the face.

Is this normal for this yeast strain? Will the smell eventually dissipate? Or does it sound like an infection?

All help appreciated.
Thanks
Grinder

 

[Screwtop]

G'day guys.
I put down an AG Pilsener last weekend and pitch a WLP802 yeast. I have never used this yeast before, but I am concerned about the stink coming from my fermenter.

I have used the Wyeast pilsener urquell yeast and I got alot of sulpher aroma from that one but this one different.

I can't quite put my finger on the smell. It is quite a sweet fragrance almost flowery maybe slightly buttery, like nothing I have ever smelt before. I used nothing but saaz hops for bittering and aroma, ( I don't know if that has anything to do with it).

Anyway, I got a bit concerned as it took a good 3 days for fermentation to begin after pitching the vial (I didn't make a starter) and I though that this smell may be due to an infection as a result of the lag time. Or is it just the yeast?

It seems to be fermenting quite well now at 10 degrees C in the brew fridge. I tasted it, and if you look past the aroma the wort seems to taste OK. Although, It is quite hard to taste it without the smell hitting you in the face.

Is this normal for this yeast strain? Will the smell eventually dissipate? Or does it sound like an infection?

All help appreciated.
Thanks
Grinder

How much did you pitch? could be stressing a bit if underpitched.

 

[grinder]

How much did you pitch? could be stressing a bit if underpitched.

It was only one of the tubes with the screw top.

 

[Screwtop]

It was only one of the tubes with the screw top.

Think I'd have made a 2L starter, see what other more experienced lager brewers have to say.

 

[Kingy]

im not really experienced on this but my personal experience is: for a while there i was only getting final gravitys no less than 1018 and i was trying to make bigger beers than usual. Now that i make starters and reuse yeast and usually throw in more than i need ive been getting more consistent results and lower final gravity readings. Was just about to ditch the hydromter (actually i still think i might,i think there useless)

 

[grinder]

3 days into fermentation. Smell seems to be dissipating. I would still like to hear from brewers that have used this yeast.

 

[neonmeate]

only time i used this yeast a cuppler years ago it farted out a heap of sulfur too. it took a month of lagering and another month in the bottle before it started to disappear.
not sure how much i pitched, knowing me, probably not enough.

it's probably a characteristic of the yeast, but probably a characteristic of this yeast when it's not 100%.

 

[Ash in Perth]

If its buttery it ould be diacetyl. towards the end of fermentation, allow the temperature to rise to around 15degrees for a couple of days before you chill it for cold conditioning. this will allow the yeast to scrub up any of those kind of undesirable fermentation intermediates and by-products.

 

[BottleBitch]

If its buttery it ould be diacetyl. towards the end of fermentation, allow the temperature to rise to around 15degrees for a couple of days before you chill it for cold conditioning. this will allow the yeast to scrub up any of those kind of undesirable fermentation intermediates and by-products.

Sounds like you know what you are talking about tha Ash, you coming to the food, wine and beer fest with us this sunday?