[eddyo78]

Hey guys, need some help. I have made roughly 6-7 batches of wine so far, skeeter pee, blueberry from fresh fruit, blackberry from fresh fruit, island mist kit, and so far haven't had one smell like this sulphur type of smell. when siphoning I got a taste and it tasted like rotten pineapples.

I kinda created a recipe - 5 pts (just using fruit juice, non concentrate and no preservatives), just to see how it would turn out. Here it is:

32 oz papaya / pineapple
32 oz kiwi / strawberry
32 oz pomegranate / cranberry
64 oz apple
1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
1/2 tsp energizer
1 tsp nutrient
1/2 tsp tannin
2 cups sugar
1 campden tab
1 packet Montrachet yeast

I mixed all ingredients and let it sit for 24 hours. SG before yeast was 1.084. Then sprinkled yeast on top. It fermented to dry in 4 days .996

I just racked to secondary and put in 1/2 tsp sorbate.

what can i do to get rid of that smell? should I just wait it out and see how it does in 2 weeks? or is this something to be concerned about?

thanks!

[Arne]

You can try splash racking and or stirring with a copper wire or pipe. Maybe racking thru a sanatizied copper pipe. If it is actually rotten, there is probably not much you can do with it. If it is a sulfer smell, these two things may help. Arne.

[Chateau Joe]

I see you are in the great state of Texas and it has been really hot down there lately. How hot was the room you were fermenting in? Fermenting at really hot temps can create that sulfur smell. I would try the copper tubing or rack over some santized pennies but try the splash racking first.

[MalvinaScordaad]

There are many remedies for H2S Smells if that is what you are describing. As stated above,starting off with splash rackings are easy and can work. Stirring with copper can help but the copper must be totally oxide free. So you need to polish it before you use it or you are wasting your time. You can use an aquarium stone and pump Nitrogen in too. This can drive out the H2S gas and can be effective. Reduless and/or Nobleese additions can be your second line of defense. If this doesn't work then you have to resort to copper sulfate which must be used properly.

Why did you have the problem? My guess is not enough yeast nutrient and using the worst possible yeast you could have chosen for H2S problems. Don't use Montrachet period for anything is my advice going forward. With all the choices of yeasts there is no reason to use that H2S producer.

Malvina

[joea132]

Copper stirring is the ticket. I would caution you on copper sulfate because you can over dose it and actually make it unhealthy. Reduless is another remedy that has worked well in the past for me. Be careful though, it strips a little flavor so add the smallest amount to try it out.

When I rack normally I make sure I am sulfited and I splash it a little bit to drive off any off odors. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT WAIT. it will only get worse with time. I have $350 in wine that is a stinky swill.

[MalvinaScordaad]

Originally Posted by joea132

Copper stirring is the ticket. I would caution you on copper sulfate because you can over dose it and actually make it unhealthy. .

If you have to resort to using copper sulfate buy it from www.piwine.com. They have the properly diluted solution. With a medicine dropper you are limited to using only about 40 drops per 5 gallons. Start with half stir it in, wait a few days before proceeding. It is true the longer you wait the problem gets worse. Then you have to treat using ascorbic acid before you can use the other remedies. Joea I haven't seen a problem using reduless but have only had to use it once so far. I went with the recommended doesage.
Malvina

[robie]

Althoi=ugh this sonds like H2S, it could be something else. You can test this with a couple of shinny pennies (pennies are only copper coated, but if shinny, they work well for this test). Put about a cup of wine in a glass and add the pennies. Stir it really well for about 2 minutes. The smell and taste of the wine should improve considerably the longer you stir it.

If this works, it is H2S. Reduless works really well for H2S and is much safer than copper oxide. Reduless is very safe and I have not heard of an H2S case yet where it didn't work well.

I noticed you added sorbate but not Kmeta (sulfites). I am not an experienced fruit wine maker, but if fermentation has been completed for awhile and you didn't add Kmeta, the smell could be your wine is rotting.

As was already mentioned, some yeast strains are much more prone to producing H2S. All the yeast providers have data sheets on their particular yeast strains. Look at these specifications for each yeast and try to choose one that will do the job, but is less prone to produce H2S.

[eddyo78]

hi everyone thank you for all the responses.

the room where i have been fermenting everything stays at a steady 74 degrees. my house has some very good temp control.

I use campden tabs in place of the kmeta, same thing.

i will try the splashing around and if it doesnt work the penny thing tonight when i get home. i hope this works.....if not i dont have that much money invested in this so it wouldnt hurt my feelings to toss this batch. i may even look into the reduless.....

i have read in some other threads that montrachet causes this problem. it is the last time i am going to use it as stated above there are many other altenatives. i only used it as i read it is a good yeast for fruit wines. i dont remember now where i read it.

again thank you everyone for your help, i really appreciate it

[robie]

Once you get experienced, you can use any yeast you like. That's because hopefully by then you will know how to properly add nutrients and such. However, even experienced wine makers can sometimes still get H2S. No two batches of wine are ever the same or ferment exactly the same.

But you are right, right now use a yeast that is less likely to produce H2S. Just don't take the H2S chance.

(As I wrote earlier, I am still not totally convinced your problem is H2S. H2S is a definite rotten egg smell, not a rotten fruit smell.)

[eddyo78]

thanks robie,

when i get home i will try your penny fix and see what happens. hopefully it is not h2s and it will clear up.

just to clarify, it isnt a rotten smell, it is more of a sulphur / rotten egg smell. when racking to secondary i got a taste and it tasted like rotten pineapples. but we shall see with the penny test, i have my fingers crossed.