'off' Yeast

[flummoxed]

For the first time in about 20 brews I am getting an off/sour odour emanating from fermenter. (kit brew)
it's not over-powering but can smell it outside the laundry/fermenter room.

Call me a dill but when the Brewcraft shop fella offered me the saflager yeast for 2 bucks because it was 'near its use-by-date', I checked that it said 'July 2010' and pocketed my 'bargain'.
Methinks it might not be a coincidence that I used the 'oldish' yeast and now have the smell??

Am I right?
Will the brew be OK?......or is it cactus?

I currently bubbling away at 16 degrees .....was pitched 48 hrs ago.........was 24 degrees when it started............

 

[Pennywise]

Have you had a taste of it?

 

[QldKev]

Is it the first time you have used a lager yeast?

also try and drop the temp a little bit more.

QldKev

 

[cdbrown]

Sulphur smells?

Don't lager yeast produce those smells at the higher temps? I would have aimed to pitch at 16 and drop it to 12C. Using two packets.

 

[Wolfy]

Is it the first time you've used a lager yeast?
They are notorious for producing sulphur-type smells, which could be what you are noticing?

 

[Pennywise]

possibly mistaking the sulphur for a sourness

 

[flummoxed]

Is it the first time you have used a lager yeast?

also try and drop the temp a little bit more.

QldKev

yes, first time with saflager.............may have pitched it at too high a temp - 24
if the sulphuric odour is 'normal' then no probs...........

thanks

 

[flummoxed]

yes, first time with saflager.............may have pitched it at too high a temp - 24
if the sulphuric odour is 'normal' then no probs...........

thanks

also, i was jumping to conclusions about it being 'off' because way back when, when i had an early stint brewing - about 15 yrs ago.......i just used the yeast that came with the tin...........no safale, saflager, wyeast or firkingreatyeast or whatever.................and occasionally there would be a similar smelling brew so it wouldn't have been the 'lager' yeast causing it then.......

anyway, i'll see how it is when it comes bottin time...............

 

[Pennywise]

Yeah Lager yeasts tend to throw a bit of sulphur, next time try and ferment a bit lower, 10-12 degrees is the standard. But for this batch, once it's fermented out crash chill (if you can) and keep it a 1-2 degrees for a few weeks, this should help clean up the beer a little.

 

[QldKev]

yes, first time with saflager.............may have pitched it at too high a temp - 24
if the sulphuric odour is 'normal' then no probs...........

thanks

no probs at all, drop the temp if you can to 12 and give it another week or two; finally enjoy your beer...

QldKev

 

[juzz1981]

A mate of mine brewed a kit using saflager s23 at a filthy temp of 27c and he said his whole bedroom was filled with a rotten egg smell (sulphur)

 

[Nick JD]

I've found S23 does an okay version of a steam beer (lager at ale temps), but I've not brewed that high - more like 16-19C.