First Funky beer, split batch with Bugfarm5

So Ive been pulling off a gallon or so from my clean batches post fermentation and pitching dregs (idea stolen from Almighty). But this will be the first time that I do a full Sour batch with my own recipe. This is obviously a 11G batch, but it will be split into 2 carboys. One of which I plan to pitch Al B's Bugfarm 5 and the other I am going to start with WLP550 and finish it with Brett in the secondary. The base recipe started at Jamil's Belgian Blonde with some aspects from his Golden strong both in BCS.

I have a few questions, any other input would be great as well.

1. The Malto dextrin, is it necessary, should I just add it as food after the sacch has finished in both batches? Or should I ditch it and up the mash temp, also hows is the 152f mash temp looking?

2. I was thinking about finishing the Belgian half with Brett C, sound ok?

3. Aging, I plan to age this for as long as necessary but if you have any input let me know. The Belgian half Ill keep in primary for my customary 21 days then transfer to a secondary fermentor and pitch the Brett Im assuming for a few months. The Bugfarm batch will probably need what, 10-12 months on the cake in primary?

I appreciate any input, Im pretty excited about this beer...


Recipe: Wild Golden Ale
Brewer: Coff
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Golden Strong Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 13.24 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.70 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 10.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.063 SG
Estimated Color: 4.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 13.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 71.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
21 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 82.4 %
2 lbs Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.8 %
8.0 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.0 %
2 lbs Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 4 7.8 %
1.50 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop 5 13.2 IBUs
10.80 oz Malto-Dextrine (Boil 5.0 mins) Other 6 -
1.8 pkg Belgian Golden Ale (White Labs #WLP570) Yeast 7 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 25 lbs 8.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 31.55 qt of water at 162.9 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun, , 4.21gal, 4.21gal) of 168.0 F water

My opinion, Malto Dextrin is not necessary if you are willing to be patient. Personally I would use honey in the secondary instead as it has a greater variation in the types of sugars therefore creating varied byproducts.

Also I would just add the brett to the primary with out racking on the belgian half. as the brett will want the dead yeast for foodstuffs.

Ok I'll take that into consideration, I'll probably bag the maltodextrin unless I feel it needs a feeding late in the ferment.

How about Mash temp, 152 look ok? Usually a Golden Strong is mashed low 148-49 to get it super dry, Im assuming the bacteria is going to plow through most of it anyway but Id like to leave some extra unfermentables for the bacteria to munch on.

I would go higher on the mash temp even 158-160. Gives more food for those buggers.

That high? Ok maybe I'll just go for the 158 then. 158 assuming I want a super funky beer correct? Which I do want.

Glad I posted this. Anything else that might look out of place or unnecessary?

I brewed this yesterday, it was pretty cold out and I ended up missing the 158 mash temp and ended up at 155. Not a huge deal I guess, everything else was flawless, hit all my numbers on the day.The Belgian half took off pretty quick, I ended up pitching the Brett L once it showed activity. Still waiting on the Bugfarm to take off but I didnt make a starter though.

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: American Golden Sour
Brewer: Coff
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Golden Strong Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 13.29 gal
Post Boil Volume: 10.66 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 10.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 9.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.069 SG
Estimated Color: 5.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
21 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 82.4 %
2 lbs Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.8 %
8.0 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.0 %
2 lbs Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 4 7.8 %
1.50 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop 5 14.5 IBUs
2.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.0 pkg Belgian Ale (White Labs #WLP550) [35.49 Yeast 7 -
1.0 pkg Bugfarm 5 (East Coast Yeast #ECY 01) Yeast 8 -
2.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Other 9 -
1.0 pkg Brettanomyces Lambicus (White Labs #WLP6 Yeast 10 -

Unfortunately the Bugfarm half has yet to show signs of fermentation after 48hrs to the minute. My basement is much colder then I was expecting it to be, Its been about 66-68 until Tuesday its dropped to 58f so Im thinking it needs some heat. I did not make a starter for the Bugfarm bc I was lead to beleive it would throw off the balance of the Sacch and bacteria that Al had intended.

Aside from that any ideas?

Not sure if anyone cares but I put the carboy on a heating pad and warmed it up to about 69f and it took off in about an hour. Once activity got going it went up to 72f and is moving along nicely.

The same thing happened with my ECY mixed cultures. They didn't seem to do ANYTHING until I applied a little heat and then they were perfect.

I lef the heating pad on low while I went to work today, as you know, its been damn cold in PA so I wanted to make sure it stayed warm. I am slightly nervous I am going to come home to a blowoff...we will see.


Which of the ECY cultures have you used? I am sitting on ECY20 and ECY03 that Id like to use soon. Im thinking of doing a sour brown with the ECY20.

I've used ECY03, and ECY20, and ECY13 so far. I have ECY02 and another ECY20 on the way along with ECY09. I did a sour brown with my ECY20 thus far.

I took samples from both batches on January 23rd, here are my notes.

"Bugfarm 5 batch

1/25/12

1.010

Strong Phenolics on the nose, a bit citrusy complimented by some clove.

Already pretty sour! Dry leathery taste medium body but still dry. Citrusy
almost grapefruit like, no real bitterness but a touch of alcohol burn
but is not unpleasant. Coming along very nicely."

Belgian Strong w/BrettL

"1/23/12

1.011

Belgian esters on the nose, a touch of banana and clove. Not much of
the Brett but it's young.

Banana right off the bat followed by some peppery notes, no noticeable
bitterness it's slightly dry and you notice it on the back end. This
one is shaping up very nicely. Not a ton of Brett in here yet but I
expect it to come out over the next 2 months of bulk aging."

I did Bugfarm V and ECY20 recently, both I made starters and pitched at 70ºF. Both took off within hours.

I waffled about making a starter, but eventually decided that the sacch was going to out-reproduce the bacteria and brett initially anyways, so it just guaranteed a faster start.

I did the opposite for my sour saison recipe. I pitched only a portion of the vial in 5gal and with heat forced the culture to get moving. The sour brown I just pitched the remainder of the vial into 7.5gal and also gave it heat. I was not worried about increased esters or low attenuation because the brett uses the esters. Also the attenuation is not an issue with brett and pedio working together.

Oh, I certainly wasn't worried about esters. The yeast was mailed to me in November, and I only just got around to using it, so partly it was to make sure everything was still copacetic.

I waffled about making a starter to, I guess in hindsight it wouldnt have hurt but I think just pitching will work fine. Im not sure when I'll get around to using my ECY20 vial, if it isnt for a few months I'll probably make a starter for that.

Just a Pellicle update, activity looks to have slowed down dramatically. Up until yesterday I could see tiny bubbles shooting up pretty rapidly. I'll take a reading a taste tonight and see where it's at.

Tasting notes from last week, not sure if anyone cares but its a good place for me to document my progress.

Belgian Strong w/Brett notes
3/27/12

1.012

A nice Brett aroma, not overpowering but I get the whole horse blanket funk from the Brett L.

Belgian esters up front, a little tart even. A little of bit of alcohol
heat but its overpowered by the brett on the back of the palate. It's nice a warming.

Brilliantly clear, best clarity I've ever gotten. I thought it would
be drier bc noticeable activity has stopped but maybe it isn't done.

Bugfarm 5-American Wild ale

3/27/12

Straw yellow, not nearly as clear as the Belgo-Brett which was
brilliant. This is a bit hazy.

Smells a bit winey, I can also smell the alcohol a bit.

Sweet tart sourness, wow it's so sour but really soft in the middle
then puckering on the end.

A slight alcohol bite to it, but this is turning into a big beer. This
is coming along really nicely.

Thanks for the update -- looks like you're a couple of months ahead of my batches. They're just now starting to make gross bubbles

Cool, let us know how its coming along.

Wow, that looks disgusting yet beautiful!

Yea my wife said "are you really gonna drink that one with the fungus on top"?

What temps are you fermenting the bugfarm at? Planning to brew with some soon.

Mine's at whatever temp my closet happens to be.

smokinghole said:

Mine's at whatever temp my closet happens to be.

Click to expand...

Same.

Im likely going to bottle at the 6 month mark which is in a few weeks.

If you look further up in the thread Bugfarm got going a little bit slow, it was in my cellar in the winter and it was ~55f. I put it on a heating pad and it took off, so I would recommend starting it at ~72f to get it going.

So a bit of a brag/trip report/update on this beer, specifically the Bugfarm batch. First of all I bottled the Bugfarm Golden Sour on 7/9/12, it finished at 1.006 and I bottled it up in some of the thick Vinnie 375ml bottles. This beer turned out amazing, all due to the yeast blend, its a big beer but the alcohol bite I was getting months ago is gone. Beer pours with a thin white head that dissipates almost immediately, its a bit hazy with a golden color and a nice amount of tiny bubbles streaming up the glass. Aroma is straight peaches with bit of lactic aromas. Tart up front, almost sweet tart like, with a smooth moderate body then finishes dry, kind of winey. I'm very happy with this beer.

Here it is in the glass.



Now to the brag. My homebrew club had Al Buck as a guest to speak, pour his farmhouse ale (100% Brett Nanus) which was extremely good, and sell some ECY at my LHBS Barry's Homebrew in Philadelphia (a 3 block walk from my house). Besides being able to pick up 2 vials, Bugfarm 6 and Saison Brasserie, I brought the Bugfarm Golden Sour for everyone to try including Al.

So I poured Al and a few other brewers a tasting glass, it was really cool to have him try the beer and give me his thoughts. I explained the recipe and how fermentation went a little bit as he took a whiff and a sip of the beer. He said something along the lines of "I dont even remember what was in Bugfarm 5 at this point". But as he drank the beer he started to remember based on the flavor profile. A few things he said was that he was surprised how full the body of the beer was with it being so dry, he asked if I used any fruit bc he was picking up Mangos, peaches etc, I said no and then he remember he used Brett Custersianus in blend 5 which is why everyone was picking up on that, he also mentioned it was a bit winey. But overall it looked like he enjoyed it, as did everyone else at the meeting, I got alot of good compliments so it was worth tearing through a 6 pack of the beer. The rest will get laid down for a while.