Adding Brett to a Saison

[TheZymurgist]

This will be my first time using any sort of brett blend, but I figured since I already made a saison, I might as well set a gallon or so aside and experiment. I thought about using the Yeast Bay's Lochristi Brett blend, and wanted to know what others thought. FG of the saison is sitting at 1.008.

I think I would prefer more fruitiness than barnyard, but really have no idea what to expect. I haven't had any beers that have really been aged with brett. I've only had a few commercial examples that were pretty young or used brett at bottling. From the description on the Yeast Bay's website, the Lochristi does tend towards the fruity side, but I just wanted to get some input from those with more experience.

 

[metic]

This will be my first time using any sort of brett blend, but I figured since I already made a saison, I might as well set a gallon or so aside and experiment. I thought about using the Yeast Bay's Lochristi Brett blend, and wanted to know what others thought. FG of the saison is sitting at 1.008.

I think I would prefer more fruitiness than barnyard, but really have no idea what to expect. I haven't had any beers that have really been aged with brett. I've only had a few commercial examples that were pretty young or used brett at bottling. From the description on the Yeast Bay's website, the Lochristi does tend towards the fruity side, but I just wanted to get some input from those with more experience.

This blend is so new that you probably won't be able to get much feedback on it yet. I have two beers in secondary that I pitched it into, but they're too young to really report much about. Your plan seems fine though. It might take a while for the brett to work its way through those last few points. You could either wait it out until it seems to be stable, or give it a month or two and then put it in heavy bottles to see what the brett does as it eats the last few points under pressure.

 

[TheZymurgist]

This blend is so new that you probably won't be able to get much feedback on it yet. I have two beers in secondary that I pitched it into, but they're too young to really report much about. Your plan seems fine though. It might take a while for the brett to work its way through those last few points. You could either wait it out until it seems to be stable, or give it a month or two and then put it in heavy bottles to see what the brett does as it eats the last few points under pressure.

Yeah, I figured that might be the case. I actually emailed Nick over at TYB, and he responded pretty quick. I can't wait to try it!

 

[metic]

Yeah, I figured that might be the case. I actually emailed Nick over at TYB, and he responded pretty quick. I can't wait to try it!

Good---I've found them to be very responsive to questions. Did you find out anything interesting about the blend?

 

[Coff]

I just bottled a few gallons I used the Lochristi blend in, was in secondary for 5 weeks. I should be posting some tasting notes on it (all 3 of their Brett Blends actually) in about a month.

Beersel and Lochristi were my favorite going into the bottles, the Brussels blend had virtually no brett character after a month.

 

[TheZymurgist]

Good---I've found them to be very responsive to questions. Did you find out anything interesting about the blend?

Nothing more than what they state on the website.

I just bottled a few gallons I used the Lochristi blend in, was in secondary for 5 weeks. I should be posting some tasting notes on it (all 3 of their Brett Blends actually) in about a month.

Beersel and Lochristi were my favorite going into the bottles, the Brussels blend had virtually no brett character after a month.

Sweet! I loved your write up on the Wallonian Saison strain, so I'll keep my eye out for the brett notes. I actually decided to set aside two gallons from this batch to experiment with brett, so I think I'm going to get both the Lochristi and Brussels strains. I figure I'll let both sit for about six months, taste, and see where to go from there.

 

[marvaden]

My wine yeast plus brett beer has Lochristi in it, but it's still aging right now. The Lochristi added a bit of pleasant saison like funk while also giving some berry flavors. I did do this with a big grain bill, so some of the more phenolic flavors have been subdued a tad.

Personally I like the Lochristi, and I can't wait to try their other ones. I am planning a no boil beer with the funk town ale blend.

If you try a beer by paradox, you will see what brett clausseni tastes like. If you want more fruit forward, add a lactic bacteria because the acid brings the fruit flavors more forward in my opinion.

 

[marvaden]

I apologize four my broken sounding English. I am horrible at typing well thought out replies on my phone.

 

[TheZymurgist]

Made sense to me!

I just place my order for both the Lochristi and the Brussels strains, so we'll see what happens. I imagine that I'll prefer the fruitiness of the Lochristi over the barnyard-yness of the Brussels, but I'm very curious what a barnyard-y beer tastes like. I haven't been able to find any good commercial examples of Brett beers, they've all been pretty young and subdued.

 

[marvaden]

When you think of barn yard, this of the smell of hay, dry grass, cumin, clove-like spices, and possibly some musk.

On another related note, I have found some bacteria strains to give a hint if compost/worm aroma. It depends on other factors for how intrusive it is. Typically I get that in berliner weisse and other beers with lactobacillus, as opposed to having pedio.

 

[TheZymurgist]

When you think of barn yard, this of the smell of hay, dry grass, cumin, clove-like spices, and possibly some musk.

On another related note, I have found some bacteria strains to give a hint if compost/worm aroma. It depends on other factors for how intrusive it is. Typically I get that in berliner weisse and other beers with lactobacillus, as opposed to having pedio.

Thanks for that info! I think it's the "musk" that I'm the most unsure of. I've also seen it described as "sweaty horse blanket." These don't sound too appealing, but I'm definitely curious and intrigued. Although, I do really enjoy a nice pungent cheese.

 

[marvaden]

In small doses they are pleasing to the palate, but mostly because they give a round character. Sort of like cumin. It's a very earthy and musky tasting spice but can add a lot to a dish like chili or Indian food.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

When you think of barn yard, this of the smell of hay, dry grass, cumin, clove-like spices, and possibly some musk.

On another related note, I have found some bacteria strains to give a hint if compost/worm aroma.

It's exactly what I'm looking for in my Biere De Garde, what variety of yeast should I use to capture these flavours?

 

[MattHollingsworth]

To check back in on that Lochristi blend, I used it for 100% Brett beer and it rocked. Very intense Brett character. A bit hard to describe, as Brett often is. This one seems pretty unique to me. Loads of intense, sharp overall fruitiness. Some almost medicinal notes, but pleasant and not at all bad in any way. Maybe some lemon and pineapple notes. Very mild sour edge to it. I loved it.

That one was bottled after about 7 weeks and was really intense right from the start.

Recipe was basically like so: 77% Bohemian Floor Malt, 19% wheat malt, 4% acid malt. Double decoction. Hull Melon for hops all the way through for 22 ibus, pellets. For a 20 liter batch, 15 grams of Melon at 20 minutes from KO, 37 grams at KO. OG 1.067. FG 1.007, so almost 90% attenuation.

Pitched at 67, let rise to 72 F. Strangely, fermentation visually looked like it didn't do much. Never formed a big head. I was a bit concerned, but when I checked it at 19 days in, it was at 1.010. At that point, it was very intensely Bretty and that medicinal phenol like note was pretty strong. It later integrated well with the beer and the decoction gave this a nice cereal note underlying all of that intense Brett.

For 100% Brett beers, this one was the most intense I have used. From White Labs, I have used Brett C, Brett B and Brett L. Brett B and L don't show much Brett character in 100% Brett beers as far as I have experienced, at least the White Labs strains. Brett C gets a nice Brett character but takes a few months. This one, however, is immediately Brett heavy and heavier than all of those. I'd say it's also heavier that the Yeast Bay Saison-Brett blend or White Labs American Farmhouse (WLP670, I think). Have used the other Brett blends from them to good effect as well, but only in strange mixed fermentations, so can't really isolate the notes on those strains.

Anyway, figured I'd throw this in here.

What were your experiences with using it in secondary? Same intense character?

 

[sweetcell]

What were your experiences with using it in secondary? Same intense character?

Coff posted his assessments here:
- initial: http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/2014/08/the-yeast-bay-brett-blend-review.html
- a year later: http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/2015/03/revisiting-yeast-bay-brett-blends.html

per his reviews, Lochristi is a very subtle blend. interesting to hear that it was so strong as a primary fermenter.

i've got 5 gallons of 3726 saison that's a month in to its Lochristi'fication. i'll let you know what i think in 6 to 12 months...

 

[MattHollingsworth]

Coff posted his assessments here:
- initial: http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/2014/08/the-yeast-bay-brett-blend-review.html
- a year later: http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/2015/03/revisiting-yeast-bay-brett-blends.html

per his reviews, Lochristi is a very subtle blend. interesting to hear that it was so strong as a primary fermenter.

i've got 5 gallons of 3726 saison that's a month in to its Lochristi'fication. i'll let you know what i think in 6 to 12 months...

Excellent. Curious to see what your experience is. For me, with the 100% Brett beer, it was pretty intense but lovely. I gotta use it in secondary sometime soon. I did a lot of 100% Brett beers but found over time that most strains aren't really that interesting unless used in secondary. Lochristi is not one of those, though. It was just great.