I brewed the sans le chat receipe from wild brews last sunday and pitched two brett strains from wyeast. I had no visible activity until thursday afternoon, and now it is chugging along just fine. Is this long lag time normal for brett? Thanks Derek
I just did an all grain 50/50 2 row/wheat brew using Brettanomyces Bruxellensis Activator Wyeast 5112 and the directions said I can use it with a starter yeast or alone. I decided to go with the Brett alone and as I have read here it can take some time for fermentation to begin. I guess I am still confused as this is my first time using such strains and what is the difference to using or not using another yeast? I did a search and after some reading I wound up here and still a bt confused.
Like Ryan said, 100% Brett beers really need bulky starters (think lager size) for a primary ferment. When I do 1.060ish 100% Brett beers, I generally start with about a 1L starter and build that up to 4L for the proper pitch amount. I get fermentation going in about 12-24hrs like normal sacc. ferments. One thing you don't (should you choose) have to worry about is oxygenation. The three Brett beers I've done got no pure O2 outside of the moderate splashing during racking from the kettle. It's still undecided what exactly happens differently with a anaerobic vs aerobic fermentation, but I've had consistent results with the former. Good luck, and get ready for some great funky results.
I am planning to do a 100% Brett beer next friday, how long do you typically give the brett starter to finish out? I am wondering if I should get it in a 1L starter now so I can decant that and put it into the 4L on in time to have it finish out. Also do you use a stirplate for Brett starters?Like Ryan said, 100% Brett beers really need bulky starters (think lager size) for a primary ferment. When I do 1.060ish 100% Brett beers, I generally start with about a 1L starter and build that up to 4L for the proper pitch amount. I get fermentation going in about 12-24hrs like normal sacc. ferments. One thing you don't (should you choose) have to worry about is oxygenation. The three Brett beers I've done got no pure O2 outside of the moderate splashing during racking from the kettle. It's still undecided what exactly happens differently with a anaerobic vs aerobic fermentation, but I've had consistent results with the former. Good luck, and get ready for some great funky results.
I am planning to do a 100% Brett beer next friday, how long do you typically give the brett starter to finish out? I am wondering if I should get it in a 1L starter now so I can decant that and put it into the 4L on in time to have it finish out. Also do you use a stirplate for Brett starters?
Try this out.
The Brettanomyces Masters Project
I am planning to do a 100% Brett beer next friday, how long do you typically give the brett starter to finish out? I am wondering if I should get it in a 1L starter now so I can decant that and put it into the 4L on in time to have it finish out. Also do you use a stirplate for Brett starters?
I pitched the Brett early Saturday evening and when I came home last night it was covered with "foam" on top and the airlock bubbling about once every 2 seconds, cool!
Any advice on how to use the Lambic? I think I am going to do that next. I will probably do the 50/50 and I am thinking of adding berries, maybe blackberries.
The smell coming out of the airlock is heavenly, to me anyway.
I assume you are talking about the starter...I am talking about the beer.Went on the high side for temps and fermented at 82 F on a stir plate for a week.
Sounds like mine. All 4 carboys look like "normal" sac ferments and the cornie has a think white pellicle. They are all the same age and look different. Depends on the O2 level in the vessel.
You know that Brett L is funky tasting, right? It has a barnyardy, horsey sort of flavor.
And it is yeast not bacteria. The "mold" was almost certainly just a brett pellicle, but hard to say without pictures or more information.
Brett Lambicus is a strain of brett, like Saccharomyces Cerevisia is a strain of Saccharomyces. It is a yeast, a specific strain of yeast. Lambics have many different strains of brettanomyces involved, along with saccharomyces, lactobacillus, pedioccocus, enterobacter, acetobacter, and other various bacteria and yeast.
Brett Lambicus is a yeast. Lambics contain both yeast and bacteria.
So I am not sure why you are trying to explain this to me? What is the discussion here? I mentioned something about the Brett bacteria (leaving out the Lambic part) in my wort and you go on to explain to me Brett is not a bacteria but a yeast and then later come back and state that Brett L. contains bacteria. I just made a reference to what I was using as "Brett" while discussing the bacteria.
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I am just trying to figure out if this growth on top of the berries floating on top is a mold.
Your still confused
1. Brettanomyces Lambicus is a strain of yeast
2. Brett Lambicus (yeast) doesnt contain any bacteria, it is a fungi
3. Brett Lambicus is only 1 of many many yeast and bacteria that go into making a lambic beer
4. Lambics are a type of beer
5. There are no "Brett Bacteria"
The growth on top of the beer is oxidative yeast and other bacteria forming a biofilm on top of the wort due to the presence of oxygen in the headspace
As far as the musty taste and aroma, this is what brett does, whether its brett brux, brett lambicus or brett c, they all produce various amounts of mousy,cheesy,goaty,horsey,sweaty flavors
That is a yeast blend, not a pure strain of Brett L. It is Brett L plus all the other things they mention.So if I am confused so is Wyeast, who sells the Brett. L. They say it contains
lactic acid bacteria and you say it does not? I will copy the yeast description again below as I have done above. I am not as confused as you think. So far the both of you tell me the same thing which I already know about the yeast I purchased. As far as the growth I know all about what a beer brewing can look like. There is no way for you to know that what I have is not mold. I understand it may not be but it very well may be too.
I know Brett is not bacteria. But according to the package description is says it contains bacteria. My bad for saying Brett bacteria instead of saying the bacteria that came with the brett packaged yeast. It was just easier to write. Since they come in the same package to me they are collectively described as a Brett L. yeast. I can read you know.
You guys may be trying to help but so far all you have done is tell me what I already know. I know I am going to lose since you insist on telling me I am confused. Lets just drop this, ok? I will take it from here.
Product Description:
Wyeast Belgian Lambic Blend W3278: Contains a selection of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces including Belgian-style wheat beer yeast, sherry yeast, two Brettanomyces strains and lactic acid bacteria. While this mixture does not include all possible cultures found in Belgian Lambics, it is representative of the organisms most important for the desirable flavor components of these beers as they are brewed in West Flanders. Propagator packs are best used with a yeast starter.
You switched products on us:
Up until now we were discussing Wyest Brettanomyces Lambicus W5526:
Wild yeast isolated from Belgian lambic beers. Produces a pie cherry-like flavor and sourness along with distinct brett character. Ferments best in worts with reduced pH after primary fermentation has begun. May form a pellicle in bottles or casks. Works best in conjunction with other yeast and lactic bacteria to produce the classic Belgian character. Generally requires 3-6 months of aging to fully develop flavor characteristics.
W3278 contains several different types of organisms.
W5526 is a pure strain of Brettanomyces (lambicus).
#5 Brett L. does not contain bacteria. I understand this, but like you said and they said Brett L. as it is called often will be packaged as such but may contain many strains of yeast and bacteria. I was just calling it Brett L. Next time I will be much more specific.
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