Bottling a Brett beer

[Grannyknot]

Sorry for the cross post, but I had posted this in the bottling forum and didn't even get a view in 3 hours.

Below is a "Brett Saison" I brewed 12/26/15.
12lbs Pils
0.5 Acid malt
Hopped to 35 IBUs
Mashed at 147*
OG 1.058
FG 1.002
Wyeast 3031 PC - Brett Saison blend
Ferm temps 68* 2 weeks, 78* 2 weeks, duration at 64*
Glass Carboy

I took my first gravity last night (3/28/16) which read 1.002.
Tasted the sample. Had very very little brett character. This was brewed before I learned you shouldn't make starters with brett/sacc blends. A pellicle never formed, but at the same time, last night was the only time there was ever a chance for oxygen introduction, so maybe the brett never felt it necessary to create the pellicle??

Wondering about bottling. There is a good chance the brett is non-existent and that it may not do anything to the priming sugar. Also, if the sacc strain took this beer from 1.058 -> 1.002 by itself, there is a chance it is very stressed or dead.

I've worked pretty hard on this beer to not have any brett character out of the final product.

My options are to (All options include priming sugar):
-RDWHAHB, bottle as usual and see what happens.
-Add champagne yeast during bottling
-Add WLP650 Brett Brux to the carboy a week before bottling and use this newly introduced strain for carbonation.
-Add nothing, let the beer age a bit longer, and see if any brett character develops, then re-visit carbonation techniques in 2-3 more months.

Thoughts, opinions, direction, & kicks in the balls are all welcome.

 

[m00ps]

I do starters with my brett and sour blends all the time. I've found readily available commercial blends to be pretty lacking though.

The lack of a pellicle doesnt mean anything. I get pellicles on maybe half my wild beers. Its just the brett/bacteria creating a biofilm to keep out oxygen. If oxygen basically doesnt get to it, you probably wont have one

The brett is definitely still there. Except the small chance that wyeast mislabeled the pack and its just pure sacch. Im surprised you have zero brett character after 3 months

Id let it go another 2-3 weeks. Take a reading. If its the same, bottle it. The brett character will continue to develop in the bottle

 

[Agate]

I wouldn't worry about it. 3 months is pretty young for a beer with brett in it, and I guarantee you that the brett is still alive and active in there. I would give it another month though, to make sure that you are at a stable gravity. It'll give the brett some more time to make its presence known as well. In my experience, bottling will certainly bring out Brett character as it carbonates and pressurizes the bottle.

 

[Grannyknot]

..... Im surprised you have zero brett character after 3 months

Id let it go another 2-3 weeks. Take a reading. If its the same, bottle it. The brett character will continue to develop in the bottle

I wouldnt say it had zero brett character. There was definately some there, but not much.

Sounds like I should let it age a little while longer.

 

[secondbase]

I've used this blend a bunch since its release last year and it definitely has a very mild, fruity brett character. It gets a hint of barnyard funk after about 6 months. The brett is viable at 3 months and is definitely ready to package. Leave it in bottles for two months and start enjoying them.

 

[Grannyknot]

Just an update....
Took a gravity sample last night, it had stabilized at 1.002. Tasted the sample and it had a crazy good brett character.
Went ahead and bottled it.

 

[Brett3rThanU]

Glad it turned around for you. I've attempted 2 Saison Brett beers and both have failed.

 

[Grannyknot]

Glad it turned around for you. I've attempted 2 Saison Brett beers and both have failed.

What about them was a failure? Just curious.