lager smelling like eggs???

[MichaelD16]

Hi all have just tried to make a vb clone (or similiar style) the process i went through is

 

*boiled 2 liters of water added brewcraft kit converter #42 brought to boil

*added 15g of cluster hops boiled gently for bout 2 mins

*strianed mix into fermenter didn't use a very fine strainer so bout half the hops went through

*added brewcraft draught

*topped up fermenter to 21 litres temp at 16 degrees

*added saflager 23

there wasn't much activity for first 24 hours but have started to get some nice foaming in the top off ferementer hydrometer reading after 2nd day went from 1050 to 1036 but has only dropped to 1032 over 3 days is this normal for a lager yeast? and why does it smell like eggs? also does anyone know what is in brewcraft kit converter #42.

[MichaelD16]

forgot to add that fermenting temp has been between 10 and 13 degrees

[brianc6]

from what i can gater mate no 42 is a mixture of dextrose/malt and hops this is the page i found this on could be different http://www.brewtime.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=10726&ID=27

[Andris]

its perfectly normal for lager yeast to go rotten egg smell on you. thats actually sign, that it is fermenting!

[MichaelD16]

thanks that helps put the mind at ease. was concerned bout infection. is lager yeast usually a lazy yeast

[Kearnage]

Michael,

 

Below is the standard blurb from the Coopers recipes that use a lager yeast:

"We recommend pitching Lager yeast at 20degC then allowing the brew to drop to as low as 13degC over the next day or so.

 

Some physical differences when fermenting with Lager yeast:

* Less foam and barely noticeable scum ring.

* Less CO2 produced and longer ferment time.

* Ferments more thoroughly - Lower FG achieved.

* May produce an eggy smell (this will dissipate with bottle age).

 

Due to lower temperature and longer ferment time cleanliness and sanitation is even more important when making Lager beer.

 

Fermentation may take 2 to 3 weeks."

 

So your yeast sounds fine, but your temps are at the very low end so things will go slowly.

 

Obviously using Coopers stuff would give you a better result though[innocent]

[MichaelD16]

Thanks kearnage i'll bump it up a couple of degrees for the rest of fermentation, the brewcraft instructions supplied with kit recommended as low as 7 degrees!

[EdwinH]

Hi Michael,

 

I am in the middle of drinking my last brew, a Pilsner made to one of the recipes here using Coopers ingredients (except I used Saflager yeast which is probably what you used from Brewcraft) but with tha addition of 40gm Saaz hops.

 

You boil the hops, sometimes with other ingredients but for this one I just boiled the hops. I put 20gm in about 1 litre of boiling water for 10 minutes. I turned off the gas then I put the other 20gms in and let it sit for about 20 minutes.

 

I then strained the whole lot into the fermenter which already had the contents of the can and other stuff. Wife had borrowed my usual fine seive so I used hers, bad move, the whole lot went in.

 

Oh well, no sense wasting it. Fermented it anyway.

 

Now to your querie, as the Pilsner is fermented much the same as a lager I dropped my temperature down to 13 deg and waited. It took about 2 and a half weeks, complete with smell. But it turned out a cracker.

 

So my advice is, if you are very particular with your cleanliness 13 deg is just fine, you'll get a better result. Don't try to push it.

 

I also put my fermenter in the fridge when the brew is finished for about 3 days, but this time it was ten. It allows the brew to settle and clear before bottling.

 

It took about 5 weeks in the bottle for the beer to get a fiz. But it was worth the wait. I even have to hide it from my wife and daughter!

 

Have fun

 

Ed

[ChrisM8]

its perfectly normal for lager yeast to go rotten egg smell on you. thats actually sign' date=' that it is fermenting![/quote']

+1 = normal for lager...