fermenting cider - smell
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:29 pm
by AbacusBrewingCo
So my first batch of cider has been fermenting a couple weeks now, it's down to 1.002 gravity so I'm guessing it's about time to rack it to secondary (can someone confirm this?).
When checking the gravity tonight, it tasted ok (I expect aging and perhaps back sweetening will help a lot) but it smelled like rancid ass... is this normal, do i have an infection? what's going on?
Re: fermenting cider - smell
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:29 am
by NHBrewer
Could be sulphur created by the yeast during fermentation. Completely normal and it should off gas given some time to age in the secondary. Give it a chance and get back to us if it does not get better.
Chris Killinger
Fermentation Specialist
Moonlight Meadery
Re: fermenting cider - smell
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:25 am
by AbacusBrewingCo
Sounds like a plan. At 1.002, is it ready to go into secondary? This is my first cider so i'm not sure.
Re: fermenting cider - smell
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:30 am
by dmtaylor
Sulfur is normal. Yes, rack it now.
Re: fermenting cider - smell
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:09 pm
by AbacusBrewingCo
got this racked a few days ago, wow there was a ton of sulfur in the carboy once i was racking it i almost got knocked over... but it's now safe and sound in a 5gal carboy, going to add some marbles to reduce the surface area in contact with air since i lost a bit of volume while siphoning (less than i thought, this will take a few rackings to be sure)