Brettanomyces strain characteristics

Hello, all!

I'm interested in brewing a mead with just Brettanomyces, and I'm having a bit of trouble finding a comparative between the different strains. I am able to get the Wyeast strains (B. bruxellensis and lambicus), but would be down for ordering one of the White Labs strains if they come higher recommended.

What kind of characters do the different strains impart?

I plan on adding cherries and oak to the secondary of half the batch, and leaving the other half alone. In other words, I'd like to get a strain of Brett that is fairly balanced in flavor and doesn't lean to heavily to one end of the sprectrum (namely the horsey/sweaty end) as there won't be much to balance it. I do not intend to stabilize before adding the cherries.

Thanks in advance.

I think lambicus would be good if you are adding cherries because it is described as having sort of a cherry pie filing flavor but I don't know how that would go over in a mead.

Brux is fairly neutral as far as brett goes and might be your best bet. Think Orval and that brett flavor in your mead.

Seriously go with one of the wyeast lambic blends if you can get your hands on it. Have had great results with it.

Thanks for the replies!

I would like to use a pure strain of Brett, not a blend (I will be using the Lambic Blend for a sour cherry stout soon, though).

Listen to the Brewing Network's podcast of the Sunday Session from 1/8/2011. Nathan Smith talks about everything you are looking for in regards to individual brett strain characteristics. That's a good resource. My experience is too limited to elaborate on brett.

I have used WLP650 (Brett-B) on a couple of ciders, and they have turned out fantastic. Using this Brett strain as the primary yeast seems to give a very fruity flavor, and none of the horsey/barnyard flavors. I can't speak for any other Brett strains (or manufacturers).

It's my favorite yeast for cider.

Cool, thanks, everybody!

My experience with Brett and Mead.
I made a mead using the recipe Ken Schramm gave when he was on the Jamil Show 12/1/08. Followed the recipe exactly except I didn't have the fermenter in one of my temp controlled freezers. It fermented from ~1.150 (hydrometer didn't read that high) down to 1.093 and stopped. May have been due to a temp fluctuation. I tried warming it up and pitching more actively fermenting 71B-1122 yeast but the yeast just sank and did nothing. pH was 3.76 at this point. Transferred to another carboy. Made a 2L starter of Brett B, let it ferment out, decanted and re-activated it with 500mL more wort. Pitched that at the height of activity and it also sank and failed. Gravity was checked a month after pitching Brett. I haven't checked it since November so maybe something has happened since then but there is zero visual evidence. I figured if anything would work, it would be a strain of Brett.
Let us know how yours turns out. Mine seems to be $70 of honey down the drain.

Have you tried aerating it and adding nutrients; that's a super high OG, though I guess the repitch gravity wasn't too high. If you check the gravity and it's still at 1.093, you might try throwing some K1V or EC-1118 in there to get things started again.

I take it you haven't done a taste test since pitching the Brett. Now's as good a time as any to take a gravity and a sip.

I added nutrients with the re-pitch of the 71B-1122 so I assumed they were still in solution since nothing happened. I'll give it a try tonight.

dstar26t said:

I added nutrients with the re-pitch of the 71B-1122 so I assumed they were still in solution since nothing happened. I'll give it a try tonight.

Click to expand...

Did you ever go back and check?



BTW not sure how kosher this is (if not, I'll take it down), but here's the brewlog for the mead I am brewing with B. lambicus.

Never got around to it. Maybe tonight.