Beer Forum

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

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

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

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

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

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-

BDawg wrote: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.

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.