Help! All-Brett finished quick - What's happening?

This is my 4th All-Brett beer. The first 3 took close to 2 weeks to get close to FG, and took a couple of months to finish and clear.

I am using the same yeast (harvested after 2 weeks in the third batch). I washed it, made a 3 liter 1.036 starter, which went crazy (got a blow-off in a gallon jug with it).

Made a 1.060 wort Friday. Pitched yeast late Friday, wort was around room temp of 63 F (was cooled, then left 12 hours and racked off trub before pitching yeast). After 4 hours there was no activity. At 13 hours (next morning) there was lots of activity and an inch of kraeusen. This was pretty good since I had used FermCap-S. At 24 hours, it was more active. At 36 hours kraeusen had dropped and activity slowed.

Now at 48 hours activity has almost stopped and the beer is starting to clear.

Can it really be done?

Has anyone seen this quick activity with Brett before?

I will take a gravity reading in a couple of days when it has cleared a little more.

Brew details:

Brown/Porter, 6.5 gallons. Partial Mash (1.5 lbs Maris Otter, 0.65 lbs Special-B, 0.65 lbs Acid, 0.65 lbs Aromatic, 1.0 lbs Coffee Malt, 0.5 lbs Oats), mashed at 150 F. Pilsner LME to make up the gravity. 35 IBUs.

Can you elaborate on what brett it may have been and where you got it from?

Gravity reading would be good, but i doubt it's completely finished. I've made a few all-bretts and they've all had crazy blow-off within 24hrs but the flavors didn't developed fully until weeks after krausen had fallen. My most recent batch is also a brown ale. Gravity started at 1.052. 4 days of vigorous fermenting it was down to 1.021 and krausen dropped. 3 weeks later down to 1.017 but tasted bland with a bit thin. Another month in the primary and it's down to 1.014 and has lots of flavor.

The vast majority of fermentation may just be done. I'd still give it plenty of time to finish fermenting and develop flavor.

I am really curious if this was a blend or some dregs that you propped up, as that could lead to significant changes as you use new generations.

step said:

Can you elaborate on what brett it may have been and where you got it from?

Click to expand...

step said:

I am really curious if this was a blend or some dregs that you propped up, as that could lead to significant changes as you use new generations.

Click to expand...

It's 4th generation Brett-B (WLP650). I've kept it clean and away from other yeasts, so it's as pure as can be expected.

In checking my notes, OG was 1.062. At 2 days kraeusen had dropped, activity through the airlock slowed, and some evidence of clearing. Checked today (less than 3 days) and gravity is at 1.020, no detectable activity in the airlock, and wort/beer has noticeably cleared (not actually clear, but the milky color of active fermentation has disappeared).

It's not going anywhere for a couple of months, so it will just sit on the yeast. I hope it can get down to at least 1.015.

I've had quick fermentations before, but was not expecting it with this yeast at this temperature.