Controlling Brettanomyces flavours w/ brewing techniques

[lousbrews]

I have a question in regards to characteristics contributed by different strains when copitched with sacc. I'm currently working on sour mashing (2-3 days w/ strains of both homo/heterofermentive lax) boiling then pitching sacc with brett. (~50-50 ratio blended on pitching)

My question is do different brett strains have different characteristics in these more acidic conditions or do they simply contribute the same characteristics?

Edit
Working on sour IPA, i.e. red swingline type beer.

 

[Oldsock]

I have a question in regards to characteristics contributed by different strains when copitched with sacc. I'm currently working on sour mashing (2-3 days w/ strains of both homo/heterofermentive lax) boiling then pitching sacc with brett. (~50-50 ratio blended on pitching)

My question is do different brett strains have different characteristics in these more acidic conditions or do they simply contribute the same characteristics?

Edit
Working on sour IPA, i.e. red swingline type beer.

A lower starting pH does mute the production of some esters according to Chad Y's research. Also drinking the beer young and loaded up with hops will obscure some of the varietal Brett character. However, there will always be some differences based on strain!

 

[lousbrews]

A lower starting pH does mute the production of some esters according to Chad Y's research. Also drinking the beer young and loaded up with hops will obscure some of the varietal Brett character. However, there will always be some differences based on strain!

Thats great to hear!
I guess what I should have stated was more of what will further enhance the citrus and floral characteristics. But I am currently testing single strains to see what happens. Thanks for input as its completely welcome!

 

[Max_Chavez]

I have a question in regards to characteristics contributed by different strains when copitched with sacc. I'm currently working on sour mashing (2-3 days w/ strains of both homo/heterofermentive lax) boiling then pitching sacc with brett. (~50-50 ratio blended on pitching)

My question is do different brett strains have different characteristics in these more acidic conditions or do they simply contribute the same characteristics?

Edit
Working on sour IPA, i.e. red swingline type beer.

Hello,

Are you saying you're doing a side-by-side of two different Lax strains or using them together? I'd love to hear about it, either way.

Cheers!

 

[FatsSchindee]

Great info, guys - thanks. I'm glad I asked, because I obviously had heard wrong. I'd heard of people using oak dowels inserted into carboy caps, or using plastic buckets, both to let a little bit of O2 in during fermentation with Brett and mixed sour cultures. I'll just use a standard airlock during the refermentation in the glass jugs.

I don't have a CO2 tank, as I don't keg, but I won't leave the bottle open at all (as mentioned previously), and I'll try to minimize splashing of course. And then after the Brett finishes up, when I re-bottle I'll use some O2 caps to help minimize exposure. As far as priming goes at that point, any special tips or different procedures there, for a Brett beer?

Thanks again!


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[lousbrews]

Hello,

Are you saying you're doing a side-by-side of two different Lax strains or using them together? I'd love to hear about it, either way.

Cheers!

They are pitched together. I have a house culture containing both although the exact growth rates I have no clue about. Its just a mix of Lacto D. and Lacto B, the idea being that Lacto B. is heterofermentive producing CO2 which is ideal for sour mashing since you want to have minimal oxygen present. The CO2 will displace the oxygen and form a more anaerobic environment ideal for Lacto D to do its thing and make the mash sour. I pitch a strong starter thats been sitting at 115F for a few days to go nuts on the sour mash.

I am more doing the side by side of brett characteristics with IPA's.

 

[finsfan]

sub'd so I remember to read the whole thread

 

[Max_Chavez]

Cool. I was planning on making a 1 gal starter of a vial of 677 plus some grains at 105 for a few days as my house culture. Any tips/experience for maintenance of the lacto culture?

My plan is to use that for both a 100% lacto berliner as well as a sour mash inocc. And do those side by side.

Thanks!

 

[lousbrews]

Cool. I was planning on making a 1 gal starter of a vial of 677 plus some grains at 105 for a few days as my house culture. Any tips/experience for maintenance of the lacto culture?

My plan is to use that for both a 100% lacto berliner as well as a sour mash inocc. And do those side by side.

Thanks!

I follow oldsocks technique of using apple juice to maintain my culture.

 

[Oldsock]

Tapped my experimental “how to phenols influence Brett” batch last weekend. Initial results were… surprising. The Belgian primary (w/ ferulic rest) batch was as expected, although not as funky as I would have hopped for nearly four months old. On the other hand the English yeast (single infusion mash) batch was a clove bomb. Seems like the Brett is slowly converting the ferulic to 4VG, putting it well behind the Belgian primary fermented batch (which was already clove-like pre-Brett).

Full tasting notes, details, discussion etc.

Luckily the guys at the MBAA meeting didn’t kill the kegs, so I’ll be able to provide updates on where they go from here!