confusing "skunk" with something else?

[jimlin]

Brewed a german pilsner (1st lager brew). Had a BIG butter aroma when I bottled. 2 weeks in upper 60s carbing up, chilled, and the butter is gone. But, I do notice something in the aroma I typically associate with skunky beer. It doesn't linger. The beer really hasn't had a chance to lager (in bottles, at 40° in the beer fridge) for long at all. I've noticed that I've picked up a bit of that aroma in reputable pilsners like Brooklyn Brewery's pils. Maybe what I think of as skunk is really something else?

I am an ale guy typically, so I'm wondering if I am misinterpreting something that's actually typical for a pilsner

[TheDarkSide]

Sulfur perhaps? I'm not sure I'd mistake it for skunk though.

[jimlin]

I've seen several reviews of Brooklyn's Pilsner on BA bring up skunkiness too, and they are pretty "local" and use brown bottles... weird

[maxwell]

Is skunky like cat piss? Could it be the variety or storage conditions of the hops that you used?

[snowcapt]

Send a sample to Tasty. He'll know if it is skunk or not.

[BDawg]

Most likely its sulphur. It is very common in lagers and light amounts will volatize out.
I always teach my BJCP students to always revisit the aroma section after the tasting section, especially when judging lagers because the sulphur will very often dissipate.

HTH-

[jimlin]

Most likely its sulphur. It is very common in lagers and light amounts will volatize out.
I always teach my BJCP students to always revisit the aroma section after the tasting section, especially when judging lagers because the sulphur will very often dissipate.

HTH-

Had a couple last night after old man hoops. I guess skunky isn't right. Sulphur could be it as it doesn't really linger once poured. And I get what can only assume is a flavor that's pils malt based. A little grain too.

[ziggy]

Try letting it lager some more. I have had a similar problem with a taste that I couldn't quite put my finger on and if you've got the same one the answer is more lagering time. More lagering time pretty much fixes a lot of lager problems.