Need advice on bottling a Brett

Calder · 09-05-2011, 02:02 AM

I have 7 gallons of a clone of Ommegang Biere-De-Mars (at least that is what it was intended to be), that is in six 5-liter glass carboys.

I started it last November with WLP550, racked and added the Brett (WLP650 + cultivated Ommegang dregs) after 5 days.

Last time I tasted it, was March (6 months ago), it was 1.010 with very little Brett taste. Since then, all 6 carboys have developed pellicles which are still there.

I want to bottle 2 of the carboys (a case), to have some ready for Christmas, and to free up the carboys for a Lambic I will be starting in a few weeks.

- Should I wait for the pellicle to drop?
- Is there any problem racking and bottling when the pellicle is present?
- How long does the pellicle stick around, does it drop?
- Is it better to wait for the pellicle to drop?

This is the first Brett beer I have made, so am a little unsure of what is best to do. I have made some all-brett beers since, that are in the bottle and taste great. They fermented low, but no pellicles.

**gypsyhead** · 09-05-2011, 06:52 AM

Allegedly (from 'Wild Brews') if you bottle while the pellicle still exists, you end up with what is referred to as "sick beer," which will likely always taste oily, stringy, ropy, slimy, etc. Let it run and buy another $20 carboy if you're pressed for space. It also states though, that with "the ropy character begins to disappear with the first cold night." May be worth just waiting or chilling the brew, bud.

**jpoder** · 09-05-2011, 12:06 PM

No problem bottling. Just rack your beer from under the pelicle and it will be fine. Just make sure you have reached FG. Prime using standard priming techniques.

Generally the "sick" beer is attributed to pedio not Brett alone.

jamesmp · 09-06-2011, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsyhead

Allegedly (from 'Wild Brews') if you bottle while the pellicle still exists, you end up with what is referred to as "sick beer," which will likely always taste oily, stringy, ropy, slimy, etc. Let it run and buy another $20 carboy if you're pressed for space. It also states though, that with "the ropy character begins to disappear with the first cold night." May be worth just waiting or chilling the brew, bud.

My understanding from that passage was that the beer could get goopy/stringy/etc and it should not be bottled then, but that it didn't have anything to do with the pellicle.

ElkSherpa · 09-07-2011, 04:03 AM

Measure the specific gravity of the beer. If it remains stable for a few weeks to a month, you're probably in the clear to bottle with minimal risk.

coypoo · 09-07-2011, 04:08 AM

I made a 100% brett beer and cold crashed it and bottled like normal. That was ~3 months ago and so far no issues....tastes super good too

**jtakacs** · 09-07-2011, 04:18 AM

i've never seen a pellicle drop.

coypoo · 09-07-2011, 04:25 AM

Yeah, I never got a pellicle. I thought brett itself didn't make much of one though? Maybe I am wrong

**smokinghole** · 09-07-2011, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsyhead

Allegedly (from 'Wild Brews') if you bottle while the pellicle still exists, you end up with what is referred to as "sick beer," which will likely always taste oily, stringy, ropy, slimy, etc. Let it run and buy another $20 carboy if you're pressed for space. It also states though, that with "the ropy character begins to disappear with the first cold night." May be worth just waiting or chilling the brew, bud.

A sick beer is do to Pediococcus cerevisiae bacteria in the beer. Pellicles do not mean anything other than there is oxygen present in the headspace. I have had brett beers form pellicles that never disappeared and some that never formed pellicles at all. Some formed, disappeared, then reformed. It's all about gravity and bottling in something heavy in case it goes a little further for added insurance.