Wyeast Irish ale yeast- smelly?

[peas_and_corn]

I opened the fermenting fridge so I could keg my latest batch (dry stout), and a smell hit me, filling me with dread. It's the sort of aroma that I associate with what a beer gives off when it's infected. So with dread I poured myself a sample... and it's fine! Clean, no flavour issues, definitely not infected. Is Wyeast Irish ale an inherently smelly yeast, putting off some funky aromas as it does its thing?

 

[Donske]

I opened the fermenting fridge so I could keg my latest batch (dry stout), and a smell hit me, filling me with dread. It's the sort of aroma that I associate with what a beer gives off when it's infected. So with dread I poured myself a sample... and it's fine! Clean, no flavour issues, definitely not infected. Is Wyeast Irish ale an inherently smelly yeast, putting off some funky aromas as it does its thing?

I've been using it a lot lately and haven't noticed any off smells during ferment, same as any of the other UK strains I suppose.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Is it possible you got a big wiff of co2 from the ferment that was trapped in the fridge? I think I know the smell you're talking about. Similar to when you open a keg to clean it just after its blown and you think "oh this might still be hoppy and have a smell" then the aroma almost knocks you out.

 

[Camo6]

Was it a sulphury smell like a lager yeast? I got that from a couple of brews using an ale yeast. I can't remember whether it was Irish ale but I had used that a couple of times recently and suspect it was the culprit. Seemed to dissipate towards the end of fermentation.

 

[peas_and_corn]

Yeah, most likely a combination of the CO2 and sulphur aroma.

 

[Donske]

Yeah, most likely a combination of the CO2 and sulphur aroma.

I pitched some 1084 onto an ESB yesterday just to check for you*, at high krausen after 18 hours and smells completely normal.


*Not really, I was going to pitch it anyway, just convenient timing.

 

[manticle]

Haven't used 1084 for a while but don't remember it being especially stinky. That said, I've had all sorts of off putting smells from all sorts of yeasts during fermentation that resulted in good beers.