How badly did I screw up: Brett question

[jankdc]

So I was bottling my first batch of beer last Sunday and 1/2 way through I dumped the dregs of an Orval into the bottling bucket. This morning I was reading that the Brett will eat through the unfermentables and will cause bottle bombs. If so, what should I do? I carbed to 2.4. I used WLP 500 as the yeast.

Also, I was planning on bottling my second batch this weekend. Will starsan kill off the brett in the bottling bucket/wand?

Thanks!

 

[Bensiff]

That would completely depend on how much residual sugar you still have.

I prefer to keep my plastic funk equipment separate, to include bottling bucket and hoses. I will cross my Better Bottles over though.

 

[jankdc]

That would completely depend on how much residual sugar you still have.

How do I figure that out? According to Hopville the recipe had a 75% efficiency. I measured 1.011 final gravity.

I prefer to keep my plastic funk equipment separate, to include bottling bucket and hoses. I will cross my Better Bottles over though.

Do I really need to spend another $20 on a bucket and bottle filler? Starsan won't get rid of it? Yes I know I'm whining.

Thanks!

 

[othellomcbane]

I would nuke the bucket and everything with PBW, and let it sit overnight. Then hit it all with Starsan, let it sit overnight again. Personally. I think that should do it. Brett isn't immortal; it can be killed.

I would be very careful about bottle bombs though. Keep them in a tuberware container or something plastic in case they do pop. Open a bottle per week to check carbonation levels. If they start to get super over carbonated, toss them in the fridge.

 

[smokinghole]

Couple questions will help figure out if you're in flying glass shard territory or not.

1. What was the terminal gravity of the beer?

2. What kind of bottles did you use to package?

I ask because I too just bottled a belgian beer that as inspired by Orval. I tossed orval in the fermentor with the dry hops. Then I let it go a week or two and I bottled. My beer finished at 1.009 and carbed for an additional 1.5 vol with priming sugar to combine the fermentation temperature of 40 degrees for a total of 1.5 vol before brett further attenuates in the bottle. I'm going to end up with a unknown volume of CO2, but can sort of figure it out after six to nine months if I take a new terminal gravity of the beer. Now I did this all in champagne weight and the heavier belgian bottles. So as this beer approaches 4-5 volumes of CO2 I don't have a worry about them 'sploding.

 

[stubbornman]

No need to "nuke" anything because of Orval dregs (Brett). It's a yeast... if you clean and sanitize normally you'll be fine.

As far as bottle bombs go. You added the dregs from one bottle halfway through what size batch? 5 gallons?

I think you will be ok. If anything drink those first / fast.

 

[jankdc]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I will definitely have a problem. The next question is how long do I have before I worry about them exploding. I guess I have about a month before I should put them in the fridge.

Couple questions will help figure out if you're in flying glass shard territory or not.

1. What was the terminal gravity of the beer?

It finished at 1.011.

2. What kind of bottles did you use to package?

I used a variety of bottles that are around 12 ounces. I did one in a Mr. Beer plastic bottle. The plastic one is starting to harden up, but there is still a little give when I squeeze it.

As far as bottle bombs go. You added the dregs from one bottle halfway through what size batch? 5 gallons?

It was actually a Mr. Beer batch, so I added the Orval dregs 1/2 way through a 2.5 gallon batch.

 

[smokinghole]

Drink them first and drink them frequently. You have a very real opportunity for overcarbonation leading towards exploding bottles. Not immediately but down the road it can happen.