100% Brett starter

[Brett3rThanU]

I collected some dregs from a bottle of Crooked Stave Hop Savant (100% Brett) and have stepped it up on a stir plate to 1 liter starter, but I think I screwed up as it smells kind of sour. I know Brett can produce acetobacter with oxygen and I suspect that might have happened. Is there any saving it for my 100% Brett IPA or should I just dump it?

 

[Agate]

No, it's fine... If you're concerned about flavor carry-over, give it a good cold crash and decant, but a starter is such a small amount, there's really nothing to worry about. Cheers!

 

[Brett3rThanU]

No, it's fine... If you're concerned about flavor carry-over, give it a good cold crash and decant, but a starter is such a small amount, there's really nothing to worry about. Cheers!

Whew, thanks!

 

[Agate]

Just for the record, acetobacter is a different microbe, but brett can definitely make acetic acid during fermentation in the presence of O2. I think that's what you meant, though... Brew on!

 

[Brett3rThanU]

Just for the record, acetobacter is a different microbe, but brett can definitely make acetic acid during fermentation in the presence of O2. I think that's what you meant, though... Brew on!

You are correct sir, it's been a long day.

 

[TAK]

I'm not 100% sure in this, so take this with a grain of salt, but a lot of Crooked Stave's Brett primary fermentations are still aged in their oak barrels or foeders, and thusly pick up their house LAB.

I don't get much commercial sour in NE, but I've brought back a lot of sour from CO, and most of it has been CS. I've had several of their St. Bretta bottles that tasted completely Brett forward when young, but got more lactic character over time. I've seen the same with their Progenitor. I'm not positive about their Hop Savant, but I wouldn't necessarily rule out that you cultured some LAB along with the Brett.

 

[Brett3rThanU]

I'm not 100% sure in this, so take this with a grain of salt, but a lot of Crooked Stave's Brett primary fermentations are still aged in their oak barrels or foeders, and thusly pick up their house LAB.

I don't get much commercial sour in NE, but I've brought back a lot of sour from CO, and most of it has been CS. I've had several of their St. Bretta bottles that tasted completely Brett forward when young, but got more lactic character over time. I've seen the same with their Progenitor. I'm not positive about their Hop Savant, but I wouldn't necessarily rule out that you cultured some LAB along with the Brett.

Possible, but it does say it's 100% Brett on the bottle. There was an article posted a while bach where Chad recommended culturing dregs from Hop Savant to replicate this beer.