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beckerc07 · 11-13-2012, 12:07 AM

Hi guys, first post on HBT. I am currently working on an extract brew of an Orval-like clone. This is my first time using Brett, and my third homebrew.

First, here is a copy of my recipe:
6 lbs pilsner LME
1 lb clear candi sugar
2 oz hallertrauer @ 60mins
1 oz styrian goldings @ 2 mins
Primary yeast- Wyeast 3789 (Trappist Ale, PC)

Specialty grains used in steep:
8 oz carapils
8 oz crystal 40 L

Dry hop with 1.5 oz styrian goldings

OG:1.054

I did 3 weeks in primary fermentation at 70 degrees and racked to secondary earlier this week. I pitched some dregs from a few bottles of orval as well as the dregs of a bottle of saison-brett. My gravity reading from when I racked was 1.008. I am planning on holding this in secondary at 59 degrees for 1 month before bottling.

My question relates to bottling. I am planning on bottling in heavy champagne(750ml) and orval bottles, but I don't know if I should add some sugar at bottling, or if this thing will continue to lose gravity points because of the Brett and potentially cause bottle bombs if I were to add additional sugars. I don't know enough about Brett, (should have waited a while to brew this, but that is too late now) and based on what I have read the information is confusing. Some say that the Brett won't drop this much farther than the gravity I have now, others say it could potentially super-attenuate to around 1.000. What do people think, and any suggestions? Thanks a ton.

Calder · 11-13-2012, 01:29 AM

If using strong bottles, bottle at 3 volumes. Those bottles should be able to take anything the Brett will generate. If bottling in standard bottles, I'd be concerned.

The Brett will continue to work for up to 18 months. It will be interesting to see how it changes over time.

beckerc07 · 11-13-2012, 01:32 AM

I'm planning on bottling in champagne and orval bottles, so 3 volumes it is! I am excited to see it as it ages- even my hydrometer sample had some great flavor to it, but none of the Brett is really poking out yet. Thanks for the advice.

**smokinghole** · 11-13-2012, 11:00 AM

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/orval-clone-belgian-recipe-help-98712/index3.html#post3771177

Here's what I did on my clone. It is nicely carbonated and seems to have finished up. I need to make it again real soon too.

beckerc07 · 11-15-2012, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokinghole

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/orval-clone-belgian-recipe-help-98712/index3.html#post3771177

Here's what I did on my clone. It is nicely carbonated and seems to have finished up. I need to make it again real soon too.

Based on what you did and what others have said, I am planning on carbing to 3.25 volumes using tastybrew, hopefully it will get up to 4.25-5 with the brett. Secondary question, do you think pitching a bit more orval dregs at bottling would help carb this up better? Not seeing much activity in secondary, although it has been almost a week since I racked over.

**smokinghole** · 11-17-2012, 01:10 AM

If you have the bottle dredges (god I hate that term) in the secondary then you'll be fine. I had saved up a ton over a year before I brewed this beer the viability was unknown and I did not try and culture them up at all. I just dumped it in my coldish conditioning beer let it go for a week with dry hops and then bottled it up.

Calder · 11-17-2012, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beckerc07

Based on what you did and what others have said, I am planning on carbing to 3.25 volumes using tastybrew, hopefully it will get up to 4.25-5 with the brett. Secondary question, do you think pitching a bit more orval dregs at bottling would help carb this up better? Not seeing much activity in secondary, although it has been almost a week since I racked over.

You will see very little. It will take a while for the Brett to multiply (there is no O2, so reproduction will be anaerobic), probably 6 to 12 months to reach it's peak. The Brett will slowly work on the sugars, and will continually work for about 6 months. I would expect to see a pellicle before any airlock activity, and you may not even see that.

The Brett will take a long time to work, but that is part of the interest to see how it changes over time.

Pitching more dregs at bottling will not hurt, but is not necessary.

beckerc07 · 11-29-2012, 03:23 AM

Thanks for all the help guys. I ended up bottling this a little bit earlier than expected because even with orval dregs in secondary in addition to brett in primary I hadn't seen a budge in the gravity for over a month. These are in the bottles now and looking great, I got a ton of activity from the brett when I put in the priming sugar. I bottled to add 2 volumes, calculated 1 from the leftover co2 and I am assuming 1-2 from the brett over time. I will pop one of these in a few weeks and give a status update, although this is looking like it will be a winner. I am certainly glad I bottled in champagne and leftover orval bottles though...