Anchorage Galaxy inspired beer

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wkaidy

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I recently tried a beer from Anchorage Brewing Company called 'Galaxy'. It is a white IPA at 7% ABV with 50 IBUs. Brewed with all galaxy hops, coriander, kumquats, and peppercorns. Aged in oak, fermented with a wit yeast and then dry hopped with more galaxy. It is then bottle conditioned with brettanomyces and wine yeast.

I am not trying to clone this beer exactly, but I would like to bring out the spritzy, effervescent quality along with the subtle pineapple and mango fruit that I believe the brett brings out in it.

My plan is to ferment the IPA with a neutral wit yeast, then rack it into another fermenter on top of some sort of fruit (pineapple?) Then add the brett.

As this is my first attempt at working with brettanomyces, I am wondering if the alcohol level in the beer will be too much for the brett to handle at this point. Should I add the brett earlier on during primary fermentation? If not, what temperature should I keep the fermenter at?

Thanks.
 
I don't think alcohol really inhibits brett but I think hops might??? Anyone else fell free to shoot that down if I'm wrong.
 
I brewed a beer very similar to this myself, it is still bottle conditioning so I cant really say how it cam out yet. Gabe Fletcher is the brewer at anchorage. I emailed him with several questions when formulating my brewing and fermentation plans and he responded quickly with all the answers I needed. He is a really nice guy, and doesn't mind helping homebrewers at all
 
Just had another bottle of Galaxy last night. In my humble opinion, I can appreciate the beer, but I don't feel it is something worth cloning. I would definitely shoot for more Brett C, I think this one had a stronger "B" flavor.
 
Wncbrewer, can you post what you found from Anchorage? I'm curious what Gabe said.

The Brett will really change. I brewed a wet-hopped 1/2ipa with Brett C, kegged it, then my keg fridge died to I set it aside and it just got more awesome. The Brett and hops really intertwine and become a greater beast.

From experience, Brett B is quite funky while C is super fruity. You might want to consider blending a bottle propped Brett and white labs C.

As for a mediocre bottle, grab another and let it sit for a few months. It might surprise you.

Good luck!
 
Being from Anchorage, I've had all of his beers several times, and have many bottles I'm going to keep for years. I'm just saying at this point the Galaxy isn't my fav...
 
Copy that. Being from NYC, super hoppy beers from yonder can arrive... at half mast, so to speak ;) I always give small/low distro brews a few more shots than others before I call it. And, I had a peak Galaxy and it was glorious, so I figured you may have fallen victim.
 
Wncbrewer, can you post what you found from Anchorage? I'm curious what Gabe said.

The Brett will really change. I brewed a wet-hopped 1/2ipa with Brett C, kegged it, then my keg fridge died to I set it aside and it just got more awesome. The Brett and hops really intertwine and become a greater beast.

From experience, Brett B is quite funky while C is super fruity. You might want to consider blending a bottle propped Brett and white labs C.

As for a mediocre bottle, grab another and let it sit for a few months. It might surprise you.

Good luck!

I'd be happy too, once I get home I will sift through all the emails and distill everything into a summary and post. Give me a few hours
 
I just stared listening to the interview with Gabe on The Session. Tasty sure seemed to like the way this beer smelled. Had me looking for a pound of galaxy even though I'm 'done buying hops for the year'.
 
Ok, here we go:

I first emailed Gabe Fletcher with questions regarding the brett fermentation of this beer. I was not interested in a straight out clone, but I really like the galaxy and brett in concert in this beer. I wasn't interested in the grain bill. I already have a pretty solid witbier and I used this as the base, then bittered it to 50 ibu with several galaxy additions, all late in the boil. I also omitted the coriander, kumquat etc.

This is where mr. Fletcher came in. He uses wlp 400 for the primary fermentation, ferments super warm in the mid 80's. When gravity reaches 1.005, he pitches brett b and bottles. My rendition never dried out that much in primary, probably because I fermented in the low 70's. It bottomed out at 1.008, so I pitched brett b and monitored gravity closely over the next couple days. Once it hit 1.005 (probably 3-5 days, cant remember for sure) I bottled in champagne bottles. They have been conditioning for 3 weeks now. I opened one tonight for the sake of the thread. The carb is almost there and brett character is there but very subtle at this point. Gabe said his conditions for a month at the brewery. Hope this helps...wnc
 
Thanks! Definitely going to give the galaxy thing a shot. Always enjoy trying a new hop.

Any idea what his SG is?

-S
 
Thanks! Definitely going to give the galaxy thing a shot. Always enjoy trying a new hop.

Any idea what his SG is?

-S

He never said for sure, but I designed my recipe around a 1.056 sg. With the ultra attenuation from the brett, ABV will reach the 7% range, which is where galaxy comes in
 
There is a good Q&A with gave on embracethefunk.com and a clone of his love buzz. I believe he pitches Brett when the beer is transferred off the ale yeast and put into wood barrels. The when he bottles he adds champagne on wine yeast, he noted that an important part is bottle conditioning under high pressure.. I'm a big fan of his brew and always try to pick his brain when he comes into work. Hopefully I will be creating his love buzz clone soon.
 
No problem, I will be attempting the Love buzz clone within the next few months, right now my only hold up is belgian bottles that will hold that kind of pressure, northern brewer wanted $50 just to ship 24 bottles ups ground! :(
 
How's your beer coming along WNCbrewer? Haven't tried the real thing yet, but it sure sounds good.
 
How's your beer coming along WNCbrewer? Haven't tried the real thing yet, but it sure sounds good.

It is getting there, it has been in the bottle 2 1/2 months now and the brett character is just now starting to get where I want it. It was well received by members of my homebrew club and a pro brewer friend. I have decided to forget about it for another month and see where it is then. I am. Really pleased with the bitterness and aroma. Galaxy is a FANTASTIC hop, and the passion fruit note really complements the brett b nicely. I can post my entire recipe when I get home if there is interest. I plan on sending a bottle to mr. Fletcher once the brett develops a little more, he helped me a lot with this beer
 
Good to hear! +1 on the recipe. Just did a pils/wheat thing with a few ounces of late and dry-hopped galaxy. Tastes good so far!
 
The carb is good, but certainly less than the real galaxy and most commercial brett beers I've had. I think next time I will bottle at 1.006 (instead of 1.005) and see if that wont boost it just a touch. It is well carbonated for sure, just possibly a touch on the low side for the style. I would be extremely careful adding sugar, brett is a savage attenuator and I would really worry about gushers or bottle bombs. I will post a picture of the beer along with the recipe when I get home tonight
 
Here we are,

"Incarceration" white IPA w/brett

9 lbs pilsner malt (64.2%)
4 lbs wheat malt (28.6%)
1 lb flaked oats (7.1%)

Mash at 154 for for 90 minutes or until conversion is complete. I cant remember how I arrived at 154, but when I do it again it will be cooler, probably 148.

Target og is 1.056, I plan my recipes around 80% extraction efficiency, but poor brewhouse efficiency due to lots of dead space in my system. I have included percentages so you can change yours accordingly.

.5 oz galaxy (14% AA) first wort hops
.75 oz " " 30 mins.
1 oz " " 10 mins.
1 oz " " 5 mins.
1 oz " " 3 mins.
1 oz " " 0 mins (whirlpool)

2.25 oz galaxy dry hop for 10-14 days

Ferment with an adequate starter of white labs 400 for primary at 74 degrees (Gabe Fletcher ferments much warmer than this....like in the low 80's). Once gravity reaches 1.005, pitch brett brux and bottle, mine only got to 1.007, so I pitched the brett and bottled when gravity reached 1.005.

Allow at least a month to condition, two months if you expect any kind of brett character. Here is a pic....I get two fingers of big, rocky head with a pretty aggressive pour. It fades pretty fast for a belgian though. Here is a pic. I love this beer almost as much as the real thing....cheers...wnc

Ps, if you brew this let me know what you think

ForumRunner_20130109_185138.png
 
Looks nice I'm interested in trying something similar in the spring. Did you just pitch a vial of Brett brux or did you build it up?
 
I just pitched the one vial, but only because I wanted to limit my brewery's exposure to brett. At 1.007 I think the available sugars are nothing one vial couldn't handle, that being said, most of what I read about brett suggests pitching rates closer to lager levels. It is possible that two vials or a starter would accelerate the maturation of the brett character but I sort of doubt it. I suspect mr. Fletcher carbs this beer with champagne yeast in addition to the brett, and I will ask him upon our next correspondence.
 
That is correct for most of his beers that I'm aware of, I talked to him a few days ago and he said if I swung in he would give me some fresh Brett. I plan on oing something like this soon, I really dig he whole Brett/bottle conditioning deal. Gabe also told me he mashes relatively high154/155 because he lets the ale yeast go all the way and Brett takes up what is left. Congrats on the brew WNC. Gabe asked if I would let him try mine when I'm done too, now the pressure is on!
 
I'm looking to purchase a corker now as I plan to bottle a few different style beers with Brett this spring. I just wonder how much yeast would be appropriate to add to a five gallon batch. Maybe 1 gram?
 
forcabrew said:
I'm looking to purchase a corker now as I plan to bottle a few different style beers with Brett this spring. I just wonder how much yeast would be appropriate to add to a five gallon batch. Maybe 1 gram?

Oops please delete.
 
Subbed... This looks like it may be the beer I'm looking to brew soon and get ready for summertime.
 
Have you tried degassing some and taking a gravity reading to see how the Brett have eaten

I have not, that would be interesting though. At roughly 20 bucks a bottle in my neck of the woods I am mighty hesitant to degas any amount of it ;o
 
I have not, that would be interesting though. At roughly 20 bucks a bottle in my neck of the woods I am mighty hesitant to degas any amount of it ;o

I think he was talking about your beer, not the original.

Bruisin Ales should be called Bustin Heads! I'm going through Kentucky this week and it looks like it's 'only' $14 up there. I'm going to try and pick up the whole line up if I can find it.
 
I think he was talking about your beer, not the original.

Bruisin Ales should be called Bustin Heads! I'm going through Kentucky this week and it looks like it's 'only' $14 up there. I'm going to try and pick up the whole line up if I can find it.

Ah, I see. I only have 7, 750 ml bottles left of my own, but next time I open one I will de-gas a hydrometer flask full (and grumble about it) and take a gravity. I am going to guess 1.002, but we shall see. I plan on rebrewing this as soon as I get some more galaxy....

TnGabe, leaving town in the morning but will email you when I get back next week
 
Ah, I see. I only have 7, 750 ml bottles left of my own, but next time I open one I will de-gas a hydrometer flask full (and grumble about it) and take a gravity. I am going to guess 1.002, but we shall see. I plan on rebrewing this as soon as I get some more galaxy....

TnGabe, leaving town in the morning but will email you when I get back next week

Groovy. Have a great trip. Lots of fun beers to drink with your lady, can't beat that.
 
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