Newest Threads

theveganbrewer · 01-04-2013, 06:08 PM

I am looking to get into wild brewing in 2013 and want to learn more about the styles and strains. I have had a few lambics and wild brews over the past couple years but never got into them seriously because of the price. I've picked up a copy of Wild Brews and have read the Farmhouse book.

So I'm headed to the bottle shop today to pick up some new beers. This shop has a large collection of beer but it is overwhelming. I don't have time to sort through everything when I go with the kids waiting outside in the car.

Do you all have suggestions of beers that are good to try but would also be good for collecting dregs from? Would I be able to store the dregs for awhile? I do ale yeast all the time, but wonder if the dregs from these wild brews can be kept for a while or not.

Thanks

HerbieHowells · 01-04-2013, 10:59 PM

I am just getting into this myself. I have been drinking both sours and beers with brett only as a secondary strain, to get an idea of what each will bring to the party.

Orval is the classic brett secondary beer. I also rather like Rayon Vert from Green Flash. Rayon Vert bottles usually have a nice yeast cake at the bottom which you could build up or just pitch as a secondary strain.

As for sours, Duchesse de Bourgogne would be a classic, but also look for Jolly Pumpkin beers. The Bam Biere is their better known beer, and they exhibit some lovely sour characteristics. "Can You Brew It" has had a lot of success fermenting with WLP550 and dregs from Jolly Pumpkin bottles.

phished880 · 01-04-2013, 11:12 PM

I would agree with Jolly Pumpkin. But my go to is an ORVAL.

theveganbrewer · 01-04-2013, 11:24 PM

Cool, I just got back from the store with a bottle of Orval and a bottle of Boulevard's Saison-Brett. I was scoping some Jolly Pumpkin but didn't know what to get and didn't want to blow 13 bucks without some research. At least I know a place that has it now. Also saw Duchesse de Bourgogne (had before and loved) and Rayon Vert which I'll pick up next time.

Gonna go figure out what to do with the dregs so I can drink ASAP. Thanks for the tips, if anyone else has ideas, they're welcome.

Will read up on building up whatever is in the bottle, I assume I can step it up and make more of it then store like normal? Anyone harvest and freeze with glycerin?

phished880 · 01-04-2013, 11:44 PM

For JP. My go to is La Roja, I love it right around 5-6 months from bottling date. Also SAVE THOSE DREGS>

Calder · 01-05-2013, 03:36 AM

La Roja is their Flanders red. I think it is the beer they keep in the barrels longest. I like it. I think all their beers are a bit over-priced at $13, but buy a couple, try them and keep the dregs.

How to keep the dregs????? There are lots of ways. The simplest if you have it available, is to toss them into an existing starter, place on an airlock and leave alone.

The bugs don't like a lot of IBUs. I think it is best to give them an environment similar to that they come from/shall be used in; a beer with low IBUs, and low alcohol (a starter).

theveganbrewer · 01-05-2013, 04:32 AM

Ok, thanks, I'll remember to keep the IBUs and alcohol low. I am going to try and figure out if I need to worry about contamination from whatever is in the dregs getting into my other equipment. I might have to buy some extra flasks or canning jars to keep everything separate.

Caleb1980 · 01-05-2013, 08:12 AM

I see you are in Oregon, without much of any sour brewing experience i think the sour beers from Logsdon, Block15, and Cascade should all be available (amongst many others) and all make amazing beers. i'm sure you could brew with dregs from those and come up with an interesting blend.

TNGabe · 01-05-2013, 12:48 PM

I've haven't gotten into pithing dregs yet. I've got so many cultured strains going it never seems like a good idea sober and I try not to open really nice beers when I'm drunk

JP is supposed to be great, as others have said. Look for the lower alcohol beers in the Bam series and for fresher bottles. They're all coded or dated.

I think Rayon Vert dregs would be great to pitch, into a similar West Coast Orval styled beer. Best bet IMO would be to grow the dregs up and then bottle condition your base beer with that.

Definitely look for the Logsdon - funky or not. I'd love to see some of his saison Sacc strain show up in the mail

Cascade is supposed to be amazing - 'Best US sour I've tried' was the phrase that got me to shell out way too much for the bottle I've got in the cellar.

I haven't tried Anchorage yet, either. Picked up a Galaxy White IPA yesterday. Also too expesnsive, not quite as bad as Cascade. It's got the magic 90 score I look for on BA and the interview with Gabe Fletcher on Sunday Session is worth the $20.

**bovineblitz** · 01-05-2013, 07:55 PM

I just had Timmerman's Gueze, wow was that delicious