The Horse of a Different Color transcript plus the Minstrel Brett C post has inspired me to whip up an all Brett C. recipe of my own. The idea of a "clean", "spicy" and fast-fermenting Brett beer really appeals to me. I have no experience creating recipes so I'm really jumping in the deep end here. I just placed an order for While Labs WLP645 (the Brettanomyces Claussenii) and I have a little while to assemble ingredients before it arrives.
I want to create something pretty light, and easy to drink, with not too much complexity going on. I'm thinking something like a Rye Pale Ale. (I've been drinking a lot of the Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale, and it just begs for a bit of funk in my opinion). Here's what Real Ale has to say about it:
So that gives me a good start. I will be doing a mini-mash and I have the capacity to mash about 6 lbs. of grain if I'm pushing it. Let me try to take this one ingredient at a time.
Grain bill
8 oz. honey malt (not sure about this, but it sounds nice)
8 oz. acid malt (is this too much?)
1 lb. red malted wheat
2 lb. malted rye
2 lb. 6-row pale (does this have enough diastatic power to convert all that?)
? LME to make up the gravity difference
Hops
I have no idea here, I was thinking Willamette for bittering and Cascade for 5 min. and flame out but I'm not sure about quantities. I'm trying not to overpower the funk with hopiness or bitterness, so maybe I should cut back on the IBU's since the Brett will take the beer drier then Sacc. would (thus leaving less residual sugar to balance it out)?
Yeast
100% WLP645, Brett C. I am thinking 1 gallon starter using LME, 5 days in advance, and pitch the whole thing. I don't have a stir plate. I'm thinking that I'm not going to aerate the starter OR the beer since I've read that Brett C. does pretty well with no oxygen.
I'd love some feedback about this. I thought about posting this in the Recipes section, but I feel like the 100% Brett C. beer probably needs some special consideration. There's not a single thing about the recipe that I'm not willing to change so let me know your concerns!
I want to create something pretty light, and easy to drink, with not too much complexity going on. I'm thinking something like a Rye Pale Ale. (I've been drinking a lot of the Real Ale Full Moon Rye Pale Ale, and it just begs for a bit of funk in my opinion). Here's what Real Ale has to say about it:
"Tawny red and full of malt and hops, Full Moon's unique flavor truly satisfies. The smooth sweetness of malted rye and barley is complemented by generous helpings of Willamette and Cascade hops, resulting in an assertive American amber ale.
ABV: 5.7%, IBU: 42, OG(plato): 14 "
ABV: 5.7%, IBU: 42, OG(plato): 14 "
So that gives me a good start. I will be doing a mini-mash and I have the capacity to mash about 6 lbs. of grain if I'm pushing it. Let me try to take this one ingredient at a time.
Grain bill
8 oz. honey malt (not sure about this, but it sounds nice)
8 oz. acid malt (is this too much?)
1 lb. red malted wheat
2 lb. malted rye
2 lb. 6-row pale (does this have enough diastatic power to convert all that?)
? LME to make up the gravity difference
Hops
I have no idea here, I was thinking Willamette for bittering and Cascade for 5 min. and flame out but I'm not sure about quantities. I'm trying not to overpower the funk with hopiness or bitterness, so maybe I should cut back on the IBU's since the Brett will take the beer drier then Sacc. would (thus leaving less residual sugar to balance it out)?
Yeast
100% WLP645, Brett C. I am thinking 1 gallon starter using LME, 5 days in advance, and pitch the whole thing. I don't have a stir plate. I'm thinking that I'm not going to aerate the starter OR the beer since I've read that Brett C. does pretty well with no oxygen.
I'd love some feedback about this. I thought about posting this in the Recipes section, but I feel like the 100% Brett C. beer probably needs some special consideration. There's not a single thing about the recipe that I'm not willing to change so let me know your concerns!