rotten egg at beginning of fermenting

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pecka

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I began fermenting my 6 gal of pinor noir on wednesday and am now getting a pretty heavy smell...sort of yeasty but also sort of rotten egg. I used red star montrachet wine yeast which i have read may contribute to this. The fermentor is bubbling like crazy so i know it hasnt stalled. 2 days of strong fermenting seems too early to worry about hydrogen sulfide but if it is....i need help. Any thoughts/input/experiences would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!
 
This early it could just be some fermentation smells.

If the rotten egg smell persists - it could be H2S. Splash rack a few times - get the O2 mixed in - that should dissipate the smell a lot.

If the smell is still there - you could splash rack over a sanitized copper pipe or tubing.
 
additional info

I should add that the grapes were picked and crushed on Sunday. I added potassium metabisulfite then cold soaked at 50 degrees until Wednesday.
 
I agree splash racking helped several of my wines that smelled. I still have one that won't ditch the smell (been aging 3 wks), prob. gonna have to try copper. Speaking of which, I read somewhere that you can use pennies and splash rack over them and that will work like the copper tubing is that right?
 
This is all good advice. I've had this happen twice and after stirring it real good for a day or two the smell subsided at first and then went away completely in both instances. I would only start to worry if the smell persists all the way through primary fermentation.
 
Mine is into secondary, almost 2nd racking so I hate to introduce O2. BUT it still stinks...
 
If you started it Wednesday, it's not even close to being finished fermenting, so don't try to splash rack it, yet.
Open the lid and stir everything up rally well twice each day. (I am assuming that you are stirring already, since these are fresh grapes.)

If it is bubbling away, you are likely smelling only the strong fermentation smell.
Are you smelling sulfur? That would be the rotten egg smell.

Are you feeding the yeast a yeast nutrient? If you don't you will likely stress the yeast, when doing fresh grapes. It seems too early to me for stress to have started, especially if it is bubbling away.

Make sure you stir it well and add some yeast nutrient, like Fermaid K, when it is time. Your local home brew store should have the nutrient and can tell you how to use it.
 
I agree splash racking helped several of my wines that smelled. I still have one that won't ditch the smell (been aging 3 wks), prob. gonna have to try copper. Speaking of which, I read somewhere that you can use pennies and splash rack over them and that will work like the copper tubing is that right?

For a 6 gallon batch, you need more than pennies. Get a fresh, clean copper tube about 3/16 inch or so. Sanitize it inside and out; stir it around in the wine for a minute or so; splash rack the wine through the copper tube. Add an air lock.
 
For a 6 gallon batch, you need more than pennies. Get a fresh, clean copper tube about 3/16 inch or so. Sanitize it inside and out; stir it around in the wine for a minute or so; splash rack the wine through the copper tube. Add an air lock.

Mine is only a 1/2 gal. It was kinda just an experimental thing. I have a LOT of those small batches going! Fixin to start another tonite too. The biggest batch I have is 2 gal Watermelon... In 2- 1 gallon carboys. I don't have room for big carboys yet:slp, so I do several small ones that can fit in the closet and kitchen cabinets.
 
Mine is only a 1/2 gal. It was kinda just an experimental thing. I have a LOT of those small batches going! Fixin to start another tonite too. The biggest batch I have is 2 gal Watermelon... In 2- 1 gallon carboys. I don't have room for big carboys yet:slp, so I do several small ones that can fit in the closet and kitchen cabinets.

lol me too, I just started a 5gal batch and am regretting it because it ends up being in the way a lot
 
I think it must have been the aggressive yeast smells. I made sure i stirred the must well when punching down, and no more smells. Surprisingly, my brix went from 24.5 to 1 in 4 days so i must have had some hungry yeast.
 
Sounds like all is well.
That was a pretty fast fermentation, though. You must have had a pretty high temperature in your fermentation room. Typically, the higher the fermentation temperature, the faster it goes. Depending on the temp in my fermentation room, I will add a brew belt to get fermentation going, remove it during heavy fermentation, then reapply it when fermentation slows way down.

You are good to go. I am glad it has worked out well for you.
 
Smell

Hi, I am new to wine making and the first batch that I made using the campden and proper additives smelled like rotten eggs for several days. I was really getting nervous thinking I had ruined my wines, nope the oder cleared and they are coming along nicely.
Good luck.
L
 
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