Søren T

Recipes 

After 9 days in the primary I racked to a secondary and added Wyeast Lambic Blend. Now there is a lot of yeast sediment and since this is a long process - should I rack it again ?

And, is Brettanomyces a top fermenter or bottom fermenter ?

landhoney

Recipes 

I wouldn't worry about it. A little is OK, as long as it not really thick it should be fine. I don't think Brett is a bottom fermenting yeast, it can form a pellicle( layer on top of the beer ) growing on/using the O2 in the headspace.

__________________
"Did you ever kick a woman in the midsection while she was wearing a whalebone corset? I nearly broke my great toe. I never had such a painful experience." -Egbert Souse(W.C.Fields)

Søren T

Recipes 

There is about 1 cm at the bottom of the carboy. If this thing takes 1 year could autolysis not be a problem ?

Would it hurt to rack this kind of beer at this stage ?

landhoney

Recipes 

As long as there is no pellicle you could rack it. It my understanding that autolysis is not a problem because the live yeast/bacteria use the dead ones for food. Homebrewed pLambic's are usually left in primary to provide the maximum food for the yeast/bacteria, but Flanders are not supposed to be as funky or sour, so they are racked off so there is less food. Does that make sense?

__________________
"Did you ever kick a woman in the midsection while she was wearing a whalebone corset? I nearly broke my great toe. I never had such a painful experience." -Egbert Souse(W.C.Fields)

Søren T

Recipes 

Yes, it makes sense. The pellicle has not form yet so I'll rack it.

How long does it usually take before the pellicle is formed ?

landhoney

Recipes 

It varies, and may never form, but that's not an indication that the bugs aren't working. So don't worry if it never forms. I have two beers that I did at the same time with different recipes, but both with the Roeselare blend and one has a thick pellicle and the other is barely forming only around the oak dowel I used.

__________________
"Did you ever kick a woman in the midsection while she was wearing a whalebone corset? I nearly broke my great toe. I never had such a painful experience." -Egbert Souse(W.C.Fields)

Søren T

Recipes 

I the pellicle does not form and fall in, is hydrometer readings then the only way to tell when it is finished ?