Beaming: First 100% Brett in Primary

[ophillium]

This is a somewhat aimless post that I hope can contribute something to the thread of discussions anyway --

I brewed my first 100% Brett (Lambicus) beer 8 days ago, and it's still bubbling away fiercely in primary, which is exciting to me. The pellicle in particular is distinctly beautiful, in a primorial/fungal/artistic-decay-of-life-becoming sort of way. Sniffs of tropical fruits bursting through the airlock.

The malt bill is primarily Canadian 2 Row with an appreciable presence of Maris Otter. Guest appearances from Wheat Malt, Cara Pils and Rye Malt. No bittering hops - laced it with Nelson Sauv at flame-out and will dry-hop it with the same. OG 1.050, FG 1.008, ABV FTW.

Can't wait to welcome it into this world. Oh, creation. So beautiful, so fruity, so funky.

 

[secondbase]

If you have a pellicle at day 8 you've introduced a lot of oxygen. Keep the airlock/lid on. Brett forms acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. Leave it alone for a few months and let it do its thing and you will be greatly rewarded.

 

[Calder]

If you have a pellicle at day 8 you've introduced a lot of oxygen. Keep the airlock/lid on. Brett forms acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. Leave it alone for a few months and let it do its thing and you will be greatly rewarded.

It's a 100% Brett beer, it doesn't need months.


I wouldn't expect a pellicle on a week old all-brett beer. Are you sure its a pellicle, and not just the end of kraeusen? I have never used Brett-L, so it might be how it works. I've brewed many beers with other brett strains and never had a pellicle that quick.

 

[secondbase]

It's a 100% Brett beer, it doesn't need months.

You're right. It'll be fully attenuated in a week or two. I've just found 100% brett beers to be a bit boring when they're really young. They take a few months to develop some interesting character. Around month 3 is usually when I start enjoying them. You can absolutely drink them young, but my personal preference is to let them age a few months and see how they progress over a year's time.

 

[Calder]

You're right. It'll be fully attenuated in a week or two. I've just found 100% brett beers to be a bit boring when they're really young. They take a few months to develop some interesting character. Around month 3 is usually when I start enjoying them. You can absolutely drink them young, but my personal preference is to let them age a few months and see how they progress over a year's time.

My experience is that you have to ferment them hot to get lots of character early; 85 to 90 F. With some steains, if fermented cool, you can get a really clean beer. I split a batch of a simple Brown in January between Pacman and Brett-C, both fermented mid 60s, and could not tell the difference.

 

[ophillium]

It's a 100% Brett beer, it doesn't need months.

I wouldn't expect a pellicle on a week old all-brett beer. Are you sure its a pellicle, and not just the end of kraeusen? I have never used Brett-L, so it might be how it works. I've brewed many beers with other brett strains and never had a pellicle that quick.

Good call - could very well be a krausen.

Following the advice of a professional brewer friend of mine, I'm aiming for 3 weeks in primary and 2 in secondary, which should leave me with a clean beer with moderately fruity esthers. In theory at least.

 

[ophillium]

Just bottled this yesterday - delicious so far. Nicely clean and tart with a light acidity, fruit through the middle ending with a lingering hop-oil bitterness. FG came in at 1.012, which is close enough to the desired 1.008. Can't wait to try one carbonated, chilled and poured into a tulip ;0)

 

[ophillium]

Just bottled this yesterday - delicious so far. Nicely clean and tart with a light acidity, fruit through the middle ending with a lingering hop-oil bitterness. FG came in at 1.012, which is close enough to the desired 1.008. Can't wait to try one carbonated, chilled and poured into a tulip ;0)

Updates:

As of October 28th she was sweet like Fun Dip and decidedly sour. Way too young.

This weekend (Nov 28) I had one in a chalice and she was stunning. The bretty funk is coming through clearly now that the fruit has eased back and the sweetness has dissipated nicely. It's hard to discern between the fruity esthers of the Brett Lambicus and the multi-stage Nelson Sauv hopping, so I don't know which flavours I should expect to fade or come to the fore over time. Dutifully, I will struggle on with the tastings and report when there's something worth reporting

 

[ophillium]

Update: hops remained at the forefront throughout december and faded significantly this month (january).

Far more of the funk stands out now, some of which is undesirable (think iodine, man sweat, mildew). A friend of mine speculates the iodine-like flavours are a result of fermenting at room temp; I think more vegetal in nature, resulting from the hops added at flame-out making it into the fermenter.

Body is pronouncedly thinner. Far more acetic acid than lacto. This would be far nicer in the summer, but still a great slow-sipper after dinner.