Foul odor from fermenting hefeweizen

BRPinNC

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There's a strong, sulfurous, foul odor coming from my fermenter blowoff tube. I'm using WLP380 Hefeweizen IV yeast, from which I made a 2.5 liter starter. The label on the yeast vial clearly says to maintain 70-75 deg F esp. during the initial stage of fermentation, which I did... in spite of the fact that the recipe(s) all seem to call for 60-68F. Could this be the cause?

Or, could it be I contaminated the starter?

I'm discounting the wort as a problem, because it tasted and smelled great just before going into the fermenter.

This is only my 6th batch, but the other 5 (including one hefe) smelled pleasantly yeasty, not sour/acrid/sulfurous. Thanks for any/all suggestions. Can't bear to throw it out!!
 
the warmer temps is the cause yes, and at the same time many people forget to make their starters cool, I make my starter at the same temp that I'm fermenting at so fermenting at 60 , starter needs to be at 60 for a day as for your situation I would drop the temp down to 68 and let it ride. sulfur will fade in time but months of conditioning is needed at 40ish temps
 
Really? Monthsat 40ish?!
I already have it down to 68, big cold front coming through, likely will drop my fermentation chamber (aka basement) temperature a few degrees. I guess the hope is that I don't have to throw it out entirely.
Thanks, from the Blue Ridge to the Ozarks.
 
Sulfur is normal from hefeweizen yeast. RDWHAHB, it will go away with time. If you're fermenting hefeweizen at 68 degrees, you're going to get strong ester (banana) flavors....
 
In my best Homer Simpson voice: "Mmmmmm.... esters!"

I've read many places that hefeweizen's often make foul odors, but my first one didn't. But it was a completely different recipe with different yeast. I'll be very happy if the little critters can turn this foul odor into banana esters :D
 
Fermenter odors do not necessarily indicate the final beer taste. If you can smell it, then it it no longer in the beer. It may or may not remain to some degree, but you wont know until the beer is finished. And by finished I mean, fermented out, carbonated, and conditioned over several weeks/months. I normally don't consider a beer finished, until it has been in the keg a month or two ( longer for lagers). Give it time, and If you don't like it, give it more time. It may not be what you hoped for, but who knows, you might develop a taste for it.

I seem to remember a guy on here, who brewed a beer using a ham glaze, that nobody thought would work, and it turned out great. At least that's what I was told.
 

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