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Author Topic: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??  (Read 7213 times)

Offline roguejim

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Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« on: March 21, 2012, 07:13:51 pm »
Someone tell me I don't have a damned infection.

I went to transfer an ESB to the keg, removed the airlock and took a whiff from the carboy to discover the aroma of sulphur.  I drew a small sample of the beer to taste, but it actually tasted fine.  So, I filled the keg up, and put it on a slow carb.  I figure I can release gas from the headspace everyday, and see if the sulphur aroma dissipates.  Not much else I can do.  Anyone else had anything similar happen with WY1469?

Some of the particulars are that I made a 1/2 gallon starter, and fermented between 66-70F, hoping to get the stone-fruit esters.

Offline thcipriani

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2012, 09:54:31 pm »
Someone tell me I don't have a damned infection.

I doubt you have a damned infection.

Anyone else had anything similar happen with WY1469?

Nope. Never with that yeast.

I am curious – what was your original gravity and what was your approximate pitching rate? Did you oxygenate and, if so, for how long and by what method?
Tyler Cipriani
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Offline roguejim

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2012, 01:16:56 am »
OG is 1.056.  8oz DME in a 1/2 gal starter.  I've always used a wine degasser for aerating the carboy.  Maybe 60 seconds of continuous aeration.  It was a fast starting fermentation.  I've emailed Wyeast to see if this yeast throw sulphur.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 01:18:33 am by roguejim »

Offline Pawtucket Patriot

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2012, 06:47:24 am »
I use 1469 exclusively for English-style beers and I've never gotten sulphur from it.
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Offline thcipriani

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2012, 07:06:14 am »
OG is 1.056.  8oz DME in a 1/2 gal starter.  I've always used a wine degasser for aerating the carboy.  Maybe 60 seconds of continuous aeration.  It was a fast starting fermentation.  I've emailed Wyeast to see if this yeast throw sulphur.

That all seems normal.

Did you use any adjuncts, sulfites (campden tablets) or nutrient (DAP, Fermaid K, Wyeast BCN etc)?
Tyler Cipriani
Longmont, CO
http://gangsta.party/

Offline roguejim

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2012, 11:20:25 am »
No adjuncts.

I received an email from Wyeast.  They say this yeast can throw off sulphur during fermentation if stressed.  I bled off the keg this morning and it was pretty ripe.  I guess I'll keep bleeding off the gas for a few days before I give up and dump the beer.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2012, 12:28:38 pm »
No adjuncts.

I received an email from Wyeast.  They say this yeast can throw off sulphur during fermentation if stressed.  I bled off the keg this morning and it was pretty ripe.  I guess I'll keep bleeding off the gas for a few days before I give up and dump the beer.

you can also try hooking the gas up to the beer out post (use some lube here so it comes off after) and push the co2 through the beer. keep bleeding it off as you do it and see if that speeds it up at all.
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Offline thcipriani

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2012, 07:57:53 pm »
you can also try hooking the gas up to the beer out post (use some lube here so it comes off after) and push the co2 through the beer. keep bleeding it off as you do it and see if that speeds it up at all.

That's been my experience with sulfur – tends to blow off after a week or two of purging and refilling the headspace of the keg.

Never turns out the best beer, but it is OK after sulfur dissipates.

My suspicion is that most sulfur comes from yeast stress due to over-pitching AND/OR insufficient FAN.

Recent Trial—German Hefe
  • Pitching rate: 15e6 cells/mL (common is 5–7e6 cells/mL)
  • Result: Complete loss of banana & huge sulfur production & green-beer diacetyl production.
  • Reasoning: Older (less healthy) cell population resulted in stressed yeast – coupled with lack of necessary nutrients to support such a large population of yeast (particularly amino-acids which may be lacking in wheat)

Edit – also saw this article on overpitching/diacetyl – may not be directly useful: http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/16%20(4)%202009/11%20IFRJ-2009-112%20Nguyen%20Vietnam%202nd%20proof.pdf

My 2¢
« Last Edit: March 23, 2012, 10:41:27 am by thcipriani »
Tyler Cipriani
Longmont, CO
http://gangsta.party/

Offline roguejim

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2012, 06:11:30 pm »
Yeah, this is a complete mystery.  The Smackpack was about 30 days old.  I think I played it by the book, but now I'm going to be reluctant to use that yeast again.  I'm not blaming the yeast, it's more of a head trip now.  The aroma is dissipating already as I'm bleeding off the head space twice a day.  I may still dump it.

Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2012, 07:30:58 pm »
Yeah, this is a complete mystery.  The Smackpack was about 30 days old.  I think I played it by the book, but now I'm going to be reluctant to use that yeast again.  I'm not blaming the yeast, it's more of a head trip now.  The aroma is dissipating already as I'm bleeding off the head space twice a day.  I may still dump it.
  If you have packaging space, do not dump it.  It might tuen out to be a grat beer.  You can dump it later.
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Offline denny

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Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2012, 07:42:16 pm »
You can dump it later.

Jeff, you definitely get the Gold Star for Pragmatism this week!  :)



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Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2012, 07:58:50 pm »
You can dump it later.

Jeff, you definitely get the Gold Star for Pragmatism this week!  :)



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Thanks Denny!  I did not know there were awards for being Pragmatic!
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Offline roguejim

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2012, 08:13:24 pm »
You can dump it later.

Jeff, you definitely get the Gold Star for Pragmatism this week!  :)



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Thanks Denny!  I did not know there were awards for being Pragmatic!

I sure hope you are correct, Jeff.  I'm not really expecting a "great" beer at this point though.  I know you've used this strain before.  Any wild speculations as to what likely caused the yeast to be stressed?

Online hopfenundmalz

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2012, 05:00:43 am »
If you keg, vent it every day for a week, or even 2 times a day.  That should help the beer.

As to what caused it I don't know.  Underrpitch, not enough O2, temp?
Jeff Rankert
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Offline roguejim

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Re: Wyeast 1469...Sulphur??
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2012, 12:20:48 pm »
I just thought of a very real possibility, I think.  I fermented out the starter over 4-5 days, because I was out of town.  On my return, I put the starter in the fridge over night to drop the yeast from suspension.  When it came time to pitch the yeast, I pulled it directly from the fridge, decanted most of the starter liquid, and pitched it into the 68F wort.  Actually now, I pulled the starter from the fridge about an hour before it was time to pitch, not enough time for the ~40F starter to reach the 68F wort temp.  Big shock, I think.  I should know better.