Help. My brew smells of poo!

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brewnoob

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Brewing my third batch of beer. It's a Cooper's Wheat Beer and I used 1000g of honey. It's two days into fermentation at it has the most god-awful stench.

I was just wondering could this have anything to do with the honey?

Did I add too much?

Should I be worried or is the stench a normal thing?

Dan
 
if it smells of ***** then you're in trouble, if it smells of rotten eggs then your ok. my coopers european stunk like hell after about 6 months in the bottle then finally lost its smell.
 
I had one that absolutely REEKED of rotten egg. So much so that the wife banished it to the outside shed.

It cleared up fine after a few weeks. Just give it some time.
 
It certainly did reek. I think it's starting to calm down now as I use to be able to smell if from the living room and now I can only smell it when I'm in the same room. Think I'll leave in the fermentation bin for a bit longer than usual so hopefully the smell can reside some more...

Dan
 
Made a wheat beer last month, it was very good. Sorry no odd smells, think you might have a problem
 
klaus said:
Why would you put 1 kg of honey into a wheat beer.
Sorry if I am mising something here.... I mght be wrong but honey imparts a strong aroma onto the brew.
Perhaps, that's the "poo" smell ???


Possibly, yes. No idea why I did it just experimenting I guess..

Maybe if I add 1kg of manure it'll come up smelling of honey?

I'm sure that's how it works, right.

Dan
 
brewnoob said:
Maybe if I add 1kg of manure it'll come up smelling of honey?

I'm sure that's how it works, right.

Dan

:lol: Give it a try.

I'm sure your beer will be okay just give it some time. Try a little sample near the end of fermentation to see how it's bearing up.
If it tastes of poo then it might be best down the drain?
 
I'll keep you updated.

Happy to say that the smell has resided even more so now...

That, or my cold is getting worse.



Dan
 
Did you boil the honey before you added it? I have used honey as an addition and not boiled it and it has infected the brew - maybe natural yeasts? I always boil the honey in some wort to be safe :D
 
rickthebrew said:
Did you boil the honey before you added it? I have used honey as an addition and not boiled it and it has infected the brew - maybe natural yeasts? I always boil the honey in some wort to be safe :D

That sir, is a top shout.

No I didn't boil it but it seems kind of obvious now that I should have.

The smell is still getting weaker and weaker though through the days. I certainly won't be moving it to keg for at least another week.

Live and learn I suppose :D

Dan
 
Depends on what honey as to wether you need to boil it I know that holland and barrat 907 g jar is pasteurised so no need but if it's local hippy honey straight from a bees **** then you might be looking at the answe to your smell
 
I used normal clear honey from Tesco so I don't think it would have anything nasty in it. But you never know, I guess. Next time I'll be sure to boil it in some wort before adding it to the rest.
 
If you boil it, you'll lose lots of aroma and some flavours. Mead makers would suggest that heat but NOT boil it, and lots would suggest only enough to dissolve it.
 
Right, it's still in the FV and the smell has now virtually vanished It actually smells good and the honey scent is coming through. I guess I'll be kegging it tomorrow now :P

Dan
 
Use your hydrometer just to check it's finished fermenting, it should of done as it's been nearly 2 weeks. Also a qc sample as you're kegging will give you an idea of final taste, all the best with your brew :cheers:
 
be a fermentation by product imo some yeast produce some god awful smells when theyre working k1 wine yeast(i uses it in moi cider)makes yer eyes water.....
 
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