# Sulphur smell after heating milk



## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

Milk smells delicious and sweet before heating but after heating over 165 degrees f and after cooling it has a sulphur or rotten egg smell. The hotter the milk is heated the stronger the smell. I've dreamed of making my own yogurt and cheeses for years and now that I'm finally doing it I'm encountering this problem. but so far everything that I try to make that requires the milk to be heated ends in stinky sulphur smelling yogurt or cheese. I've scoured the internet for info on this and haven't found anything. It's not a "goaty", "musty" or cooked smell. It's not "salty" or "bitter" or "sour". In fact, the taste of the milk isn't as bad as the smell. Has anyone dealt with this before when cheesemaking or pasteurizing? Any input would be greatly appreciated!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What kind of pan are you using?


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> What kind of pan are you using?


Usually I heat the milk in a mason jar inside a pan of hot water for a double boiler type thing. I'm milking into either stainless steel or glass.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is your water from a well?


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

How about the water in the pan. Could it be causing the sulpher smell?


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

The water IS from a well but there's no sulphur smell when showering or using it to boil pasta or anything like that. Its going through a pretty good filtration system down at the barn too. It's being ozonenated and down to one micron filtration. I know the water is high in iron but maybe I should have it checked for sulphur. It's most noticeable after the milk has cooled or in the finished yogurt. It can be pretty strong. I tried changing grain recently but that didn't work. They're currently getting alphalfa, Bar Ale show goat, and pasture. I've looked around the pasture but I can't find anything that I can think of that would cause a sulphur smell. For the record I'm milking Nigerians. Thanks for reading guys! Feeling pretty bummed about this.


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

When I make yogurt I warm the milk directly in my stainless steel pot. And with cheeses, I seldom go over 86 degrees. Perhaps a lower temp cheese might work. Is this your first year doing this?


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

wifeof1 said:


> When I make yogurt I warm the milk directly in my stainless steel pot. And with cheeses, I seldom go over 86 degrees. Perhaps a lower temp cheese might work. Is this your first year doing this?


It is my first year milking. I've made chèvre and it turned out great so at least I can do the lower temp cheese but I was hoping to do ricotta and mozzarella.


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

Hmmm. If the smell isnt present at low temps, is the culture/additive the culprit?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would try making it without using water.


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

wifeof1 said:


> Hmmm. If the smell isnt present at low temps, is the culture/additive the culprit?


No, because even if I'm only pasteurizing for some reason it still smells after it cools.


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> I would try making it without using water.


I will try this! I'll try anything at this point haha.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

You might also try to just heat treat it like you do colostrum. No more then 150 for 1 hour.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would also try washing the items you use in different water. There is probably residue from washing with the well water.


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> I would also try washing the items you use in different water. There is probably residue from washing with the well water.


I'll try that!


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

TDG-Farms said:


> You might also try to just heat treat it like you do colostrum. No more then 150 for 1 hour.


It definitely is better the less I heat it but there's a few things like ricotta that requires you to bring it up to about 200 that I'd like to be able to do. Thanks for your thoughts!


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

It's just weird to me that it's ONLY after heating or pasteurizing. I often don't pasteurize and I often don't even filter because I keep some milk separate to bottle feed with. That milk, even a week later still smells fine. It's only after heating that it smells bad and the hotter the temp got to, the smellier the milk. We're talking only like 180 degrees for making yogurt. It's not like I'm boiling it. I have found only one thing (I've been trying to research this on the internet for months with no luck) that describes what I'm experiencing and that was a blog post from a goat owner describing how to make chèvre and goats milk farmhouse chedder. In her recipes she says, "Make sure the temperature of the milk doesn't go over 172, or a noticeable sulphur smell will develop once the milk cools." That sounds exactly like what has been happening to me. But that's the only person I've found who's having a similar experience. Sigh.


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

Based on that, and having read in some recipies the temp can be lower in goat milk, I would try the lower temp. Might affect the yield, or cosistancy, but rennet might fix that. Or calcium chloride.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Following, with great interest.

I know that some lines of some breeds of goats can produce a stronger milk (irrespective of temperature) Like Toggenbergs. Any breeders of NDs know of any lines in that breed that do this?

Can any of the mastitis strains do this?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sulfur smell to me is well water related. Usually it is a goat smell with mineral deficiency or mastitis.


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

mariarose said:


> Following, with great interest.
> 
> I know that some lines of some breeds of goats can produce a stronger milk (irrespective of temperature) Like Toggenbergs. Any breeders of NDs know of any lines in that breed that do this?
> 
> Can any of the mastitis strains do this?


I have had milk from Toggs who's milk was "goaty" and even Saanen milk after a few days got goaty but this is definitely a different smell.


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> Sulfur smell to me is well water related. Usually it is a goat smell with mineral deficiency or mastitis.


I think you're right that it's the most logical explanation and I will get my water tested. Especially since it's like a gassy sulphur smell and not really a taste. Still, I wish I could find someone with a similar experience!


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

I think I might also get some milk from someone else's goats and treat it exactly the same as I've been treating mine and see if maybe it's something I'm doing and not my goats.


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## Hollyfieldbrook (Sep 19, 2017)

mariarose said:


> Following, with great interest.
> 
> I know that some lines of some breeds of goats can produce a stronger milk (irrespective of temperature) Like Toggenbergs. Any breeders of NDs know of any lines in that breed that do this?
> 
> Can any of the mastitis strains do this?


I have had milk from Toggs that was goaty and even Saanen milk that after a few days got goaty. This is definitely a different smell/taste. If it were only goaty it would be a relief because I'd know why and what to do!


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Hollyfieldbrook said:


> I think I might also get some milk from someone else's goats and treat it exactly the same as I've been treating mine and see if maybe it's something I'm doing and not my goats.


Very wise.


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## PammyD (8 mo ago)

I see that this was years ago, but did you ever figure it out? I have the same issue.. After heating it smells like eggs, but I have city water. Any advice or anything you learned would be greatly appreciated. 🤗 I don't want to drink the milk once I smell it. 😝


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You might be better off starting your own thread. The OP hasn't been on here in a long time.


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