[tommymorris]

I tapped a American Lager made with Diamond last bit. The recipe was 90% Best Pils and 10% Flaked Maize to 1041 OG. I used 12 IBU of Edelweiss.  It attenuated down to 1005.

The beer is still young. I kegged it 2 weeks ago. It is crystal clear now. Flavor is very nice and I think the Diamond worked pretty well in this lighter beer. My only complaint so far is sulphur smell. I am hoping/thinking that will fade in another week or two.

i think im on the same timeline, there has been a noticeable sulfur component, it is fading over the 3 tastings ive had so far. last night it was definitely enjoyable, but hoping it will fade further.

Thanks! I am sure mine will turn out well. 2 weeks is very young for a lager. I’ll give mine some more time.

[fredthecat]

I tapped a American Lager made with Diamond last bit. The recipe was 90% Best Pils and 10% Flaked Maize to 1041 OG. I used 12 IBU of Edelweiss.  It attenuated down to 1005.

The beer is still young. I kegged it 2 weeks ago. It is crystal clear now. Flavor is very nice and I think the Diamond worked pretty well in this lighter beer. My only complaint so far is sulphur smell. I am hoping/thinking that will fade in another week or two.

i think im on the same timeline, there has been a noticeable sulfur component, it is fading over the 3 tastings ive had so far. last night it was definitely enjoyable, but hoping it will fade further.

Thanks! I am sure mine will turn out well. 2 weeks is very young for a lager. I’ll give mine some more time.

my ferment schedule was actually very short for what i normally do, only 3 weeks from brewday to bottling. i employed some much longer schedules for lagers last year and got smoother results.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Please, someone explain the sulfur thing to me. Does your beer have a rotten egg aroma? Like walking through Yellowstone Park, near the paint pots and geysers?

Luckily (I guess) this has never happened to any of our beers. With any yeast. I am not saying all of my beers have been perfect, because they have not. But this sulfur thing has gotten my curiosity aroused.

Here is a photo of the Diamond yeast harvested just two days ago. From 10 gallons. It was not quite as clean as with previous harvests.

[BrewBama]

Please, someone explain the sulfur thing to me. …

https://beerandbrewing.com/off-flavor-of-the-week-sulfur/

[Bel Air Brewing]

Please, someone explain the sulfur thing to me. …

https://beerandbrewing.com/off-flavor-of-the-week-sulfur/

Thanks, that is a good article. I am a subscriber to Craft Beer & Brewing.

That reflects our experience. As stated, during the early ferment process, there is a whiff of sulfur aroma being produced. But for some reason, it has never carried over to the finished beer. But we ferment longer than some people, usually around 4 or more weeks for a lager. Perhaps this provides enough time for the off odor to completely abate.

[erockrph]

There are two different sulfur aromas that you can find in beer. H2S (hydrogen sulfide) is like eggs or volcanic gas (i.e., Yellowstone), and certain lager and hefe yeasts can produce a fair amount early on in fermentation. I also pick it up in cider fermentations from time to time. Almost no one finds this pleasing, but it can be off-gassed over time, and contact with copper will also remove it. Generally this will age out over time, and you can also blow it off by doing some CO2 purges if you have it in a kegged brew.

SO2 (sulfur dioxide) is more like a struck match. I've only ever gotten it from lager yeasts, and some people can appreciate it in low amounts. I pick this up in some commercial import lagers. I've never gotten this character from W-34/70, but I have from S-189 on occasion. I haven't tried Diamond yet, so I can't comment on that. To me, it's not a "must-have" component in all my lagers, but it evokes a certain "authentic" feeling to me when done right. I usually reach for WY2633 when I'm looking to add this character to a brew.

[Bel Air Brewing]

There are two different sulfur aromas that you can find in beer. H2S (hydrogen sulfide) is like eggs or volcanic gas (i.e., Yellowstone), and certain lager and hefe yeasts can produce a fair amount early on in fermentation. I also pick it up in cider fermentations from time to time. Almost no one finds this pleasing, but it can be off-gassed over time, and contact with copper will also remove it. Generally this will age out over time, and you can also blow it off by doing some CO2 purges if you have it in a kegged brew.

SO2 (sulfur dioxide) is more like a struck match. I've only ever gotten it from lager yeasts, and some people can appreciate it in low amounts. I pick this up in some commercial import lagers. I've never gotten this character from W-34/70, but I have from S-189 on occasion. I haven't tried Diamond yet, so I can't comment on that. To me, it's not a "must-have" component in all my lagers, but it evokes a certain "authentic" feeling to me when done right. I usually reach for WY2633 when I'm looking to add this character to a brew.

Might this SO2 be in Pilsner Urquell? Seems like some have commented on that.

[dannyjed]

A guy from my Homebrew club who makes a lot of lagers and won a medal last year in the NHC for his Helles told me once that a smell of sulfur during fermentation is the sign of a good lager to come.


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[hopfenundmalz]

All fermentations produce sulfur. Ale yeasts not as much and the higher fermentation rates blows it off. Lager yeast fermentations don't blow it off as well, as said you can vent kegs off. Yeast health and nutrition are keys to not get too much sulfur in the finished beer.

Suffer and copper have an affinity, so copper can be used to reduce the aroma. A friend said that one brewery has a transfer line packed with small copper tubing if they need to reduce the sulfur.

You can tell if a brewery is doing lagers if it has that sulfur small.

[lupulus]

All fermentations produce sulfur. Ale yeasts not as much and the higher fermentation rates blows it off. Lager yeast fermentations don't blow it off as well, as said you can vent kegs off. Yeast health and nutrition are keys to not get too much sulfur in the finished beer.

Suffer and copper have an affinity, so copper can be used to reduce the aroma. A friend said that one brewery has a transfer line packed with small copper tubing if they need to reduce the sulfur.

You can tell if a brewery is doing lagers if it has that sulfur small.

On a related vein, BJCP 2021 Helles still doesn't mention sulfur despite every single example listed having a touch of sulfur when served fresh at the source.
Fingers crossed for the next update. One day...

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[BrewBama]

On a related vein, BJCP 2021 Helles still doesn't mention sulfur despite every single example listed having a touch of sulfur when served fresh at the source.
Fingers crossed for the next update. One day...

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That’s when I invoke this statement: “The BJCP Style Guidelines are guidelines not specifications. …They are suggestions...

[hopfenundmalz]

On a related vein, BJCP 2021 Helles still doesn't mention sulfur despite every single example listed having a touch of sulfur when served fresh at the source.
Fingers crossed for the next update. One day...

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

That’s when I invoke this statement: “The BJCP Style Guidelines are guidelines not specifications. …They are suggestions...

Unfortunately, many judges treat them as the gospel, and ding a beer for something not in the guidelines.

That whiff of sulfur that you get on the first sip in Germany is a real thing. It happens in Helles, and Pilsners too.

Of course there are those that ding the beer for some perceived transgression, even thought the guidelines don't say anything about it. My case is Britis malts in an American BW.

[Bel Air Brewing]

On a related vein, BJCP 2021 Helles still doesn't mention sulfur despite every single example listed having a touch of sulfur when served fresh at the source.
Fingers crossed for the next update. One day...

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

That’s when I invoke this statement: “The BJCP Style Guidelines are guidelines not specifications. …They are suggestions...

Unfortunately, many judges treat them as the gospel, and ding a beer for something not in the guidelines.

That whiff of sulfur that you get on the first sip in Germany is a real thing. It happens in Helles, and Pilsners too.

Of course there are those that ding the beer for some perceived transgression, even thought the guidelines don't say anything about it. My case is Britis malts in an American BW.

I do not think the judges have any choice in the matter. If they did, it would become very subjective.

Looks like my beers might get dinged...zero sulfur aroma!

[jeffy]

On a related vein, BJCP 2021 Helles still doesn't mention sulfur despite every single example listed having a touch of sulfur when served fresh at the source.
Fingers crossed for the next update. One day...

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

That’s when I invoke this statement: “The BJCP Style Guidelines are guidelines not specifications. …They are suggestions...

Unfortunately, many judges treat them as the gospel, and ding a beer for something not in the guidelines.

That whiff of sulfur that you get on the first sip in Germany is a real thing. It happens in Helles, and Pilsners too.

Of course there are those that ding the beer for some perceived transgression, even thought the guidelines don't say anything about it. My case is Britis malts in an American BW.

I do not think the judges have any choice in the matter. If they did, it would become very subjective.

Looks like my beers might get dinged...zero sulfur aroma!

No, not get dinged, but another sample with a touch of sulfur may get an extra positive point for "authenticity."

[lupulus]

A judge that judged the 2020 NHC, not in Helles, asked and was told that no Helles with sulfur advanced to the finals.

For context, sulfur in harmony with the beer, is in European judging guidelines, WBC, and, if I am not mistaken, GABF.

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