Will Brett C sour a beer?

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BertusBrew

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I am planning on using WLP645 Brett C in my next batch. I am wondering what to expect. Will it sour? What should I be expecting?
 
BertusBrew said:
I am planning on using WLP645 Brett C in my next batch. I am wondering what to expect. Will it sour? What should I be expecting?

Will you be using anything else? Sacc? Lacto? Etc.

If you are using only Brett c, in a 100% Brett fermentation, you will not get a sour beer. I understand that if you aerate your wort, some people have had Brett produce some tartness.

If you are using Brett with Saccharomyces, that is, any common brewers yeast, you will not likely get sour beer, but instead, a funky beer akin to Orval.

There are some yeast/bacteria blends you can use that will introduce either Lactobaccillus and or Pediococcus. There are also pure cultures of these bacteria. Those two - Lacto and Pedio, will get you a true sour beer. I suggest you do your due diligence before jumping into bugs.

Brett c is said to kick off some fruity flavors - I've seen people mention pineapple before. I'm working on a 4-way side by side with all four commercial white labs strains to compare their flavors right now. Good luck!
 
Based on my experience with WLP645, I have to say yes, at least in a low IBU beer. I haven't used it as the primary strain for anything hoppy. I've sent a sample to SmokingHole to take a look at, but I'm already pretty well convinced there is more than brett in WLP645. Chad Yakobson plated it out a couple years ago and found pichia, 2 lacto strains, and brett c.

The first beer I made with wlp645 is tart, the second that I made with the rinsed yeast is full blown sour, very lactic. Of course it's possible that this is somehow the only batch of beer I've ever made that got contaminated and that it's a tasty contamination, but I find that unlikely.
 
I've also heard it repeated from more than one source that WL Brett C isn't pure. I made a RIS a few months ago with Brett Trois and C (no sacc). I aerated as I normally would for a beer that big (1.094 OG) and it did turn out noticeably tart, fine by me because the beer was inspired by (but not meant to be a clone of) JP Dark Dawn.

I had heard that heavy aeration would cause some acetic production and a bit of tartness in all-brett fermentations and that's what I was going for. It's definitely not what I'd call sour but certainly more tart than I expected-tasty, though. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is something else in there.

I'm going to meet up with Dmitri from BKyeast this weekend to drink some beers and swap some yeast. One of the beers I'm bringing is the RIS. Maybe he'll take a look at the dregs and tell me if there really is some bacteria in there.
 
I would certainly defer to anyone who has looked at it under a microscope, BUT I am curious as to why White Labs wouldn't tell you that there are bacterial cultures in it as well. I mean, it's not as though adulterating a pure yeast culture is a trade secret. Homebrewers want to know what they are in for, just like the OP. WL, Wyeast, and ECY all tell you what genera of yeast and bacteria are included in their blends - except, it seems, for WLP645.
 
loftybrewer said:
I would certainly defer to anyone who has looked at it under a microscope, BUT I am curious as to why White Labs wouldn't tell you that there are bacterial cultures in it as well. I mean, it's not as though adulterating a pure yeast culture is a trade secret. Homebrewers want to know what they are in for, just like the OP. WL, Wyeast, and ECY all tell you what genera of yeast and bacteria are included in their blends - except, it seems, for WLP645.

Yeah, it doesn't sound like a credible theory until you get sour beer and a microbiologist confirms it.
 
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