Coopers Stout with added 'eggy' smell.

[Jolum]

Ok, so after all the fuss about Coopers Stout I decided to follow the herd and give it a go.
I made it up as per Ditch's instructions i.e. 1 Kilo of MDME, fermented it at 20 degrees, then carbonated it for a week at 18 degrees before bringing it down slowly in the fridge to around 12 degrees (God I love my temperature controlled fridge ). Anyhow, it's been conditioning for nearly 5 weeks now and....it's still got the sulphurous, eggy smell from the supplied packet yeast. I admit that the 'aroma' was a lot more potent when I first barreled it but even so I was a little taken aback last night when I tried it and still noticed the smell.
Is this what others have experienced or have I done something wrong. If so, any ideas what?
I'm hoping that given a bit more time the smell will disappear completely because barring that it does taste very nice (and has a wonderful mouthfeel for a kit beer)

[Ditch]

carbonated it for a week at 18 degrees before bringing it down slowly in the fridge to around 12 degrees (God I love my temperature controlled fridge ). Anyhow, it's been conditioning for nearly 5 weeks now and....it's still got the sulphurous, eggy smell from the supplied packet yeast.

Well, what can I say ....? I've never done That with mine. (God knows what I do do. I just ferment at c.20F and then tend to eave it in the same, unheated, room and let nature take its course)

Does their yeast guarantee a sulphur smell? I've long since learned to ignore the smell of anything but the pint I'm about to drink. But, if You're smelling it ....? God knows!

Sorry. First I've heard of this. And first I've heard of anyone relating that they so attempt to control the process.

I wonder what would result, if ye were as casual as me? Maybe it's something in ye 'control' process? Maybe it's something ye haven't mentioned? Water, possibly? Dunno.

[6470zzy]

Does their yeast guarantee a sulphur smell? I've long since learned to ignore the smell of anything but the pint I'm about to drink. But, if You're smelling it ....? God knows!


Lager yeasts do produce more sulphur than ale yeast so it is certainly not out of the ordinary

[Jolum]

Hi Ditch,

Haha, I wasn't for a moment suggesting that I do what you do beyond adding the kilo of MDME to the mix. I'm way too much of a control freak

It's a good point about the water though - as it was a kit, I just used the tap water (from Seven Trent) treated with half a campden tablet.

No worries, I'm sure it's just a quirk of the yeast (I hope ). I'm going to leave it until Christmas and see what it tastes like then.

[Ditch]

" No worries. " ? Bothers me though. I mean; What if one of mine turned out smelling like that? I'd be mortified and would certainly want to know what I'd done to cause it. In fact, I slung my own first ever Coopers. But, that was because I'd wound myself up so much over " TCP " and so forth, I'd probably have convinced myself the FV smelled of Channel #5, if someone on here had suggested it could do. I now just accept that an FV of Coopers Stout, in the making, can smell like any number of things.

But, you're talking about a five week Kegged ....? Quite beyond my experience of the stuff. I've never had it happen, so don't know how or why it should have. Disturbing.

Sulphur? Is it Only yeasts, said to cause that? Frankly? I'd like to see some in put from the atom splitters on this. There has to be a reason for this anomaly. It needs pinning down and explaining.

[EoinMag]

How long did it sit in primary? Yeast autolysis can cause sulphur smells.

[Jolum]

How long did it sit in primary? Yeast autolysis can cause sulphur smells.

Hi EoinMag, it sat in primary for 9 days. TBH, I could have actually barreled it after 8 as the gravity didn't change after the 7th day - went down to 1.010 and stayed there. As it was a stout I reckoned that was low enough anyway but gave it a couple more days just in case then transfered it to the barrel and primed it with DME.
Anyway, hope that helps as I don't want Ditch to have any sleepless nights. Only kidding mate

[EoinMag]

How long did it sit in primary? Yeast autolysis can cause sulphur smells.

Hi EoinMag, it sat in primary for 9 days. TBH, I could have actually barreled it after 8 as the gravity didn't change after the 7th day - went down to 1.010 and stayed there. As it was a stout I reckoned that was low enough anyway but gave it a couple more days just in case then transfered it to the barrel and primed it with DME.
Anyway, hope that helps as I don't want Ditch to have any sleepless nights. Only kidding mate

That's not normally anywhere near long enough for autolysis, lagers get that sulphur smell too from being "lagered" at low temps for a while, is it possible that's what happened with your fridge?

[Jolum]

How long did it sit in primary? Yeast autolysis can cause sulphur smells.

Hi EoinMag, it sat in primary for 9 days. TBH, I could have actually barreled it after 8 as the gravity didn't change after the 7th day - went down to 1.010 and stayed there. As it was a stout I reckoned that was low enough anyway but gave it a couple more days just in case then transfered it to the barrel and primed it with DME.
Anyway, hope that helps as I don't want Ditch to have any sleepless nights. Only kidding mate

That's not normally anywhere near long enough for autolysis, lagers get that sulphur smell too from being "lagered" at low temps for a while, is it possible that's what happened with your fridge?

Dunno is the simple answer. I've now taken it out of my fridge (had to make way for 36 Ltrs of GW's London Pride...mmmm. I've left the stout just sitting in the corner of the garage (otherwise known as the brewery ) - I really need to contruct another temperature controlled fridge so I can ferment in one and condition in the other...or is that over doing it with the technology

Anyway, will let you know how the Coopers tastes in a month