How long for Brett C character to develop?

[gbx]

I have a 1.102 RIS that has been in a keg with white lab's Brett C for 3 months now and it has zero noticeable brett character. At 70+ IBUs and all that roasty malt, I'm thinking it will take a long long time so I'm planning on bottling and storing warm for a few years. I'd like to brew something lighter and to put in the infected keg and hopefully have some bretty goodness within a few months. If I brewed a 1.050-1.060 porter, would the keg have enough brett? would the 10%+ beer in there now affect the brett? should I repitch from something lighter? (I also have a gal of a 1.035 mild on the same brett c) If I kept the IBU's at the low end, how long until i get a noticeable character from it?

 

[weremichael]

Personally, I wouldn't pitch a lighter beer on it unless I like the taste of the blend better. Also, brett is not affected by IBUs like lacto. Another question, did you only pitch Brett C? If so, the brett. character will be more subdued in comparison with a blended sacc/brett beer. You never mentioned TG, what did it finish at?

 

[buttcord]

Did you add the Brett when you kegged the beer? What temperature have you been storing the keg at? If you added the Brett and cooled to serving temperature right away its not surprising that you haven't developed any Brett characteristics. Cooler temperatures slow down Brett just like they do for other yeast strains.

 

[gbx]

The primary fermentation was with Nottingham ending around 1.022. ...so its already relatively dry. After 3 months in the keg, I bottled half and added the Bret C to the remainder in the keg. My plan is to bottle the rest of the RIS leaving only the bret infected dregs in the keg at which time I will rack the lighter second beer into without cleaning. I don't intend to water down the 10.7% ABV of the imperial. The second beer would have a primary ferment too (likely nottingham or on a cake of wy1968 if I brew this weekend). Would this work? are there enough brett cells to add the funk or like a sacc repitch, is it bad to go from such a high ABV beer?

 

[buttcord]

You'll probably be ok if you leave the keg at normal fermentation temperatures for 3-6 months. If you keep the keg at serving temps after racking your porter then, no, I doubt you would see any development of Brett characteristics (at least not for a very long time).

 

[gbx]

I don't have room in the keg fridge for it so it will be sitting in the basement between 15 and 20C (60 and 70F?). Thanks for the info. I only started playing around with this stuff last christmas so I'm still a n00b when it comes to this type of brewing - I have 6 or 7 things souring now and I've grown some nasty looking pellicles but haven't got the chance to taste any of the results yet

 

[weremichael]

15-20C should give some fine funk in about 3-6 months.

 

[bovineblitz]

Idk if you're gonna get the brett C character through a RIS.

 

[buttcord]

Idk if you're gonna get the brett C character through a RIS.

This is a good point. I used some bruxellensis to finish a 12% Barelywine and the brett character is almost nonexistant even after over a year in the bottle.

 

[bovineblitz]

This is a good point. I used some bruxellensis to finish a 12% Barelywine and the brett character is almost nonexistant even after over a year in the bottle.

Yeah, and brett c is in general more subtle. I think it'll always be masked by the huge roastiness.