Culturing Wyeast "private collection" brettanomyces claussenii

OK, I've done more of my own all grain recipes, but I sometimes get Northern Brewer all grain kits that seem interesting. I just ordered their limited edition "St James Gate Extra Foreign Stout"...looking at their description, and what the styles of Guinness are....I noticed it's an extra heavy 7+ ABV extra stout that includes an Irish Ale yeast (to be used for primary fermenation) and a limited edition of Wyeast 5151-PC Brettanomyces claussenii (to be used during conditioning).

From the generic descriptions, it appears this is a popular strain of bacteria in Europe that can sour ales (and apparently is also appropriate for lambics). Now my concern: I normally order dry yeast strains because of the inconsistent temperatures for shipping across country. With this order, I've tried ordering 3 day shipping and ice packs for these Wyeast strains....but I'm still concerned that the viability could be compromised. The primary yeast is just a generic Irish Ale yeast....so I'll make a generic starter of that. Now I am a Guinness Extra Stout fan (love how it's more pungent and bitter then the drought stuff)....so if this is a limited edition strain..and it proves to give me a great tanginess that souring doesn't provide..well a part of me would love to keep it going for as long as possible. Does Brettanomyces Claussenii work like yeast: if I want more cells of it, could I make a really big starter from which to culture a portion of it as well as make sure the viability is there for this batch? Will this strain spread forth an multiply with DME, or is there something better?

This order just shipped today, so I'm just wondering about these things. I'm going to be going out of town at the end of next week....so I'm thinking that I'll try making two big bottles of cultures before leaving....then get to brew day when I get back.

These are great questions I look forward to hearing about as well from good folk that have been down this road... I just ordered that kit thanks to this thread... It sounds like it'll be excellent!

Yes, I hope this kit will be great!! Seeing as this formulation of Guinness isn't available in the states, as long as the "souring" is right, this will be a great way to try it! I'm really interested to see if it's just going to be a heavier version of the extra stout version, or if it's going to have a different character. Since this strain of a 3 month run, I'm really thinking I should reserve some of it if I do wind up going bonkers over it!

Totally agree... a great experiment with the long term fermenting with a different strain of yeast... in the meantime, just keep having to settle for some IPA's and such...

Cool....if nothing else, I'll give an update on this thread for you fastricky! The last time I ordered a NB kit with Wyeast, it was DOA...so I'm staying especially cautious for this limited strain of brett c. Oh, there is so much to chance with UPS!!!!!

Wouldn't worry about your yeasts dying en route - they should be fine, especially with the ice packs. For harvesting the Brett strain, yes you can. All species of Brett are really hardy and survive in much rider temperature ranges and can stick around much easier than traditional ale yeasts.

To save it, you often don't even have to wash the yeast. If you oak it with some cubes, the Brett will continue to live in it - same with oak barrels. In fact, most people recommond keeping a separate set of equipment because the Brett is so good at finding hidings spots in it, surviving the cleaning, and then infecting all you next batches. Anything soft (so pretty much everything that isn't metal or glass) is at risk. For example it is not uncommon for a scratch in your fermenting bucket or better bottle or the hosing or your autosiphon to get infected with Brett forever.

Cool....thanks Parker36! Well the problems I had with the last Wyeast I had in transit a while ago, has made me extra cautious. But it sounds like the brett is especially hardy so I'll be sure to start getting it to set forth and multiply as soon as I get it! The temps are starting to rise here in GA so I'm always starting to be dubious about transit!

davesrose said:

...Wyeast 5151-PC Brettanomyces claussenii (to be used during conditioning).

From the generic descriptions, it appears this is a popular strain of bacteria in Europe that can sour ales ... Does Brettanomyces Claussenii work like yeast: if I want more cells of it, could I make a really big starter from which to culture a portion of it as well as make sure the viability is there for this batch? Will this strain spread forth an multiply with DME, or is there something better?...

Click to expand...

Brettanomyces is a genus of 'wild' yeasts.
Over the course of months, it can consume 'unfermentable' sugars and produce unusual flavors.
Commercial brewers and vinters speak of it with dread and horror.
But a homebrewers can just get rid of infected plastic and tubing.

Brett doesn't show up in the brewing literature, other than to say it's flavors are featured in Lambics and in Orval.
So there's nothing about temps or pitching rates.
White Labs says to just pitch into secondary.

The Burgundian Babble Belt (babblebelt.com) has more discussion about Brett and Lambic brewing.