[roguejim]

I posted about the low SG Dunkelweizen.  It may all be moot at this point since my fermenter is churning out egg/sulphur aromatics.  My basement stinks.  I can safely assume that I can dump the brew due to an infection?  Is there a particular name for this type of infection?  Yeast was WY3068.

[tygo]

The description on the wyeast site for that yeast says, amongst other things:

Sulfur is commonly produced, but will dissipate with conditioning.

I wouldn't start thinking about dumping just yet.

[roguejim]

I was expecting banana/clove aromatics, not eggs.

[jeffy]

I was expecting banana/clove aromatics, not eggs.

The eggs go away and THEN you get the banana/clove after it's all said and done. 
Sounds pretty normal to me.

[1vertical]

I always figured it was good that the yeast are pootin out that stuff
instead of it staying in the beer....have patients. No need to dump
At least not until you have had a taste and if you can't stand it then....
well it is Your Beer after all...

[tomsawyer]

I've got it with WLP380, not so much with WLP300.  The 380 still produced a good beer when it was done.  I would be sure and dose the wort with a little nutrient next time, on the off chance that a nutrient deficiency caused/exacerbated the H2S production.

[roguejim]

Thanks for all advice.  I'm unfamiliar with WY3068, so I'll just let it keep on going.  I took Jamil's advice, and am holding the ferm temp at 62F.  In your opinion, will this low of a temp reduce the banana/cloves character?  What effect?

[Hokerer]

The last two brews I did using 3068 (a hefeweizen and a dunkelweizen) were both fermented at 62F.  In both cases, the banana/clove was very subtle but it was there.  I'm thinking of fermenting my next one warmer, though, as that's supposed to accentuate the banana.

[thomasbarnes]

The last two brews I did using 3068 (a hefeweizen and a dunkelweizen) were both fermented at 62F.  In both cases, the banana/clove was very subtle but it was there.  I'm thinking of fermenting my next one warmer, though, as that's supposed to accentuate the banana.

Weizens are a style where it pays to abuse the yeast a bit in order to promote ester and phenol production. There was a presentation at the NHC a couple of years ago where the presenter suggested underpitching weizen yeast slightly. My guess is that 62 F fermentation does the same thing. I don't know if doing both would be too much though.

[redbeerman]

I posted about the low SG Dunkelweizen.  It may all be moot at this point since my fermenter is churning out egg/sulphur aromatics.  My basement stinks.  I can safely assume that I can dump the brew due to an infection?  Is there a particular name for this type of infection?  Yeast was WY3068.

You'll be fine, as long as the noone else in the house minds.

[ajk]

I've seen (smelled) 3068 throw H₂S.  The beer was fine when it finished.  Sometimes it doesn't go away until carbonated.

[tomsawyer]

Thanks for all advice.  I'm unfamiliar with WY3068, so I'll just let it keep on going.  I took Jamil's advice, and am holding the ferm temp at 62F.  In your opinion, will this low of a temp reduce the banana/cloves character?  What effect?

I think the lower temp creates more clove and less banana, 62 is supposed to give a nice balance and it does that in my experience.  If you want more banana though, you're better off going to WLP300 or the Wyeast equivalent.  I've tried fermenting warmer and I really didn't get more banana but the beer was more estery and not as good.

I've also gotten somewhat more clove and banana from a second pitch of the yeast, seems like the first pitch can be a little more subdued.  It also varies after using it for several generations.

[denny]

I've also gotten somewhat more clove and banana from a second pitch of the yeast, seems like the first pitch can be a little more subdued.

Very interesting...that's the opposite of what I've heard a lot of people say.  The common advice is to only use the yeast once because the esters and phenols (supposedly) diminish on subsequent pitches.

[ajk]

As far as banana/clove balance goes, I like the 30ºC rule (pitching temperature + fermentation temperature add up to 30ºC).  So I pitch at 12ºC and do a controlled rise to 18ºC, maybe 2ºC per day.  It's a tough one because people's sensitivity thresholds vary so much for these characteristics.  I had one beer that was awarded first prize at a competition, the judges raving about the clove/banana balance.  A separate (skilled and respected) judge tasted the beer later and didn't detect any banana.

[tomsawyer]

I've also gotten somewhat more clove and banana from a second pitch of the yeast, seems like the first pitch can be a little more subdued.

Very interesting...that's the opposite of what I've heard a lot of people say.  The common advice is to only use the yeast once because the esters and phenols (supposedly) diminish on subsequent pitches.

I've used these last two batches of yeast about four times now, its still cranking out the esters pretty well.  I just tasted my latest dunkelweizen made with WLP300 and it hits you with banana first, then finishes with a really nice caramel/bready flavor.  The two flavors complement one another pretty well.  I made it with RO water too, I am really liking the result of engineered water.