First-time Brett help

Well, I need to get some help with this one. I have a partial mash recipe, with honey malt an white wheat, but mostly light DME. Due to brew day mishaps, an already heavy beer ended up at OG of 1.124! I hadn't checked the gravity before pitching, and added 2 vials of WL 566--saison II. After realizing what happened, I let it get down to 1.022 (after a month with just the saison) and pitched 2 vials of Brett C.This all happened before I got a little experience under my belt, and began using starters, etc.

Now, after 6 months, I'm at 1.014. ABV is about 14%. I have two packs of Brett B. Do I make a starter, and pitch 'em, or bottle at this point. I'm just not sure if the bugs will live at 14%.

Thanks in advance.

I have no practical advice and will be pretty suprised if anyone can speak to this from direct experience.

That being said, what's it taste like? Sounds interesting!

TNGabe said:

I have no practical advice and will be pretty suprised if anyone can speak to this from direct experience.

That being said, what's it taste like? Sounds interesting!

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Seconded I'd love to hear how this is! Can't say I've ever heard of a 14%abv saison!

It's a strange one, alright. I had added cascade and citra, as the original experiment was to try out a saison yeast with those hops. There's a very fruity flavor to it now, almost like a demented dubel.. I'm guessing that mostly comes from the Brett C. A little funk, but not much.

How's the mouthfeel and how long has it been at the current gravity? Is the taste boozey? If it's stable and drinkable, I'd probably bottle with champagne yeast in stong bottles and hope for the best.

The fruity flavors will be from the Saison yeast. The funky flavors will be from the Brett.

Brett supposedly will survive to about 18% abv. It can contaminate wine, which is around where you are.

I have no experience with Brett in that high an abv. I have read on these forums that supposedly the Brett you get from White Labs and Wyeast will not go above about 10%. I'm not sure I believe that.

When pitching Brett as a secondary yeast, you want to pitch low. This stresses the yeast and helps develop the rustic flavors. 1 vial is all you needed.

Brett will continue growing for up to a year, and developing flavors for up to 18 months.

I'd suggest not using the second Brett and save it for another batch.

I'd recommend bottling with champagne yeast due to the high abv, and length of time it's been sitting. Add the champagne yeast to the bottling bucket. There is no concern that the champagne yeast will over-carbonate the beer; there are no sugars left that the yeast will eat, so it will only use up the priming sugar.

Good luck.

God i love that description: demented dubel!
It makes me want one.

Many thanks for all of the feedback -- looks like I'll bottle it with the added champagne yeast.

I had planned on calling it "Saisonodon," (my 7yr old's idea), but I might just have to go with the "Demented Dubel" after all.

I like the Demented Dubel.

Sounds like your brew day for your first Bret went like mine. I shall follow this and see how it goes.