Fermenting lager a bit pungent..

[Steiney66]

Hi chaps,

After reading all the quality advice on here, I put on my first lager kit with lager yeast & hop tea last wednesday. Its been in a cupboard with a temp around 14-16c,& it has fermented from 1045 to 1023 ove the week.
My worry is the strong methane odour that has developed for 5 days? Is it the norm with lager yeast? When ive used the ale yeast supplied with lager kits previously theres been no problem

Ive had to crack open my 24l fv of framboise to offset the smell in the cupboard with the scent of jam rolly polly!

cheers in advance- Steiney

[Barm]

it's a normal feature of lager yeast! most people describe the smell as 'eggy' or 'sulphurous' though (actually methane itself is completely odourless)
I found the pong fades in the later stages - it shouldn't really niff much when bottled.

also note that lager yeast fermentation is generally much slower - could be 3 weeks or even longer to reach the FG.

[bigdave]

The smell will have completely died off by the end of lagering. Is there any way you could bring that temp down slightly as lager yeast ferments best between 9 - 12 degrees. Optimum temp will produce the cleanest crispest lager! I only mention it because Ive just put a barrel out to lager having fermented it whilst swinging between 5 and 15 degrees. Its a lovely brew but just not a crisp taste.

[Steiney66]

Cheers for the replies...Barm, eggy n sulphurous is the nail on the head (methane!?! gas must have got me!). 3 weeks to ferment - blimey - it better be worth the hassle or Im back to eurolager tinnies.

Dave, if I shove it in the shed it would prob not get above 11/12c next week or so - would that make it ferment quicker?

Thanks again chaps

[mysterio]

No, yeast will always ferment quicker at higher temps.

Keep it where it is, yeast don't like swings in temperature.

[EoinMag]

- would that make it ferment quicker?

Quicker is not better.....

[Steiney66]

2 weeks now & its down to 1013...still a bit of a stench but only when I crack the lid open - think I wont be bottling until easter weekend now...a bit of a difference from the coopers stout ditchs style I whacked on top of the framboise trub last Sunday...that brought forward the messy foam eruption to just 8 hours later(had a nice pink tint & raspberry taste to it though!). Hoping to get that bottled in a week (if I get round to cleaning the flippin bottles!)

[Garth]

I've just done a lager, my first, and it stunk the whole downstairs of the house out. Really sulphury/bad eggs, now it smells of the gorgeous D-Saaz and the bad smell has gone.

[Steiney66]

Thanks Garth, nice to get a bit of confirmation that it (probably) hasnt gone off & should be worth the wait

[Roy]

Sounds good, I definitely wanna crack on with a Lager for the world cup... Whereabouts in bristol are you from out of interest dude?

[Steiney66]

Alrite Roy, World Cup lager was my plan too- think you'd better get one on asap as they seem to take abit of fermenting & conditioning. You can always pop a ditchs stout on for quick easy drinking in the mean time!

Im out Mangotsfield way, not much in the way of Homebrew supplies out here - its Wilko's for my basic equipment & a trip to the Homebrew shop in Keynsham for all my kits usually. Ive popped in the Brewers Droop shop in Bristol & whilst they dont have as much selection the guys running it have been great with advice.

Assuming your from the area - where'dyou get your supplies?

cheers Steiney

[Roy]

Hi Steiney, i'm living in Fishponds, still, after being a student and living in the area i'm still here! I use the brewers droop for buying spray malt and ad-hoc stuff but if i'm planning a brewing day then i'll source the components via homebrew shops online etc. Only on my second 'proper brew' after coming to this site and hooked already!

There is a homebrew shop in Keynsham too but haven't been over that neck of the woods.

Don't suppose you got a pressure barrel on Bristol Freecycle last night did you?

[legion]

I have done two kits with saflager and luckily neither have smelled.

[Steiney66]

I have done two kits with saflager and luckily neither have smelled.

cheers legion - all my old fears are back now!!

Don't suppose you got a pressure barrel on Bristol Freecycle last night did you?[/quote]
not me Roy...strictly a bottler at the mo as it stops my binge-drinking tendencies! Also I tend to do the stronger ale kits like brewferm which need longer conditioning so bottles are best in the circumstances. Ive done about 20 kits at the moment, messed up 1 or 2 through whilst going through the learning-curve. Thanks to advice on this site have started to tamper with them now before hopefully moving on to extract & ag in the future- comes down to laziness & affordability of the extra bits needed that Ive stuck with kits.