All Grain Belgian Styler Sour Porter

[zachattack698]

8 lbs 4 oz Pale Malt
2 lbs 12 oz Vienna Malt
8 oz Chocolate Malt
8 oz Black Patent
8 oz Special B malt
4 oz Crystal 60L

.5oz Nugget hops 75 min
Belgian Ale Yeast (Wyeast 1214)

og 1.060
IBU 23.4
ABV 5.7

Planning on brewing this up doing primary for two weeks then transferring to secondary onto a fruit which I havent decided on either Cherries, Strawberries, or Blueberries. Going to add a brett strand to the secondary along with the fruit and let sit till November when the homebrew comp I'm brewing this for is taking place. My big question is there is many different brett strands I'm confused a little on which would be best for this situation. Any other comments or help would be very useful as well!

 

[microbusbrewery]

So 3.25 # Vienna? You're not going to get much sourness from brett alone...funk yes, but sourness no. What level of tartness/sourness are you looking for? I like a real assertive sourness so if it were me I'd use Roeselare from the get go and I'd drop the IBU's by half. Out of the fruits listed, cherries have the best chance of standing up to the darker malts; I think the others will be lost.

 

[zachattack698]

So 3.25 # Vienna? You're not going to get much sourness from brett alone...funk yes, but sourness no. What level of tartness/sourness are you looking for? I like a real assertive sourness so if it were me I'd use Roeselare from the get go and I'd drop the IBU's by half. Out of the fruits listed, cherries have the best chance of standing up to the darker malts; I think the others will be lost.

oops forget the 8oz vienna malt not sure why i typed that. Secondly I'm looking for whatever sourness/funk i can get from brett seeing as this homebrew comp is a brett comp so I need to use brett for secondary. I think cherries is probably what I was going to use so that makes sense. Thanks for responding, do you think its necessary to still drop my ibus?

 

[microbusbrewery]

...do you think its necessary to still drop my ibus?

No, if you're not going to use bugs (lacto/pedio) I think your IBU's are fine. I try to keep the IBU's very low when using bugs but you're good.

Since it's a brett comp, have you considered doing a 100% brett fermentation? I've done a couple Saisons with brett brux trois (White Labs WLP644) that have turned out awesome. When young it leans towards tropical fruit flavors/aromas and as it ages it develops more brett character and ripened fruit flavors.

 

[zachattack698]

No, if you're not going to use bugs (lacto/pedio) I think your IBU's are fine. I try to keep the IBU's very low when using bugs but you're good.

Since it's a brett comp, have you considered doing a 100% brett fermentation? I've done a couple Saisons with brett brux trois (White Labs WLP644) that have turned out awesome. When young it leans towards tropical fruit flavors/aromas and as it ages it develops more brett character and ripened fruit flavors.

if I was to use all brett and use WLP644 (currently doing an IPA with all WLP644) When would I add the fruit??

 

[microbusbrewery]

if I was to use all brett and use WLP644 (currently doing an IPA with all WLP644) When would I add the fruit??

I'd probably add the fruit after 4-6 weeks.

 

[zachattack698]

I'd probably add the fruit after 4-6 weeks.

cool so ferment for 4-6 weeks then add the fruit and age till november? I think that is looking like the best idea.