Brett beer with fruit (tertiary) - No signs of fermentation

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Elixer

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About 70 days ago I brewed a beer which was fermented with German ale 1007, WLP650 B. Bruxellensis and some yeast which I cultured from a bottle of Sofie (Goose Island). I racked this beer to a secondary fermenting vessel after about 30 days, because I needed the yeast for another brew

Three days ago I decided to use this beer to make a fruit beer with rhubarb and white grapes, so I added the fruit to a clean fermenting vessel and racked the beer onto it. I left all the trub and yeast behind. Because there was a small pellicle on the beer and some airlock activity every three to four minutes I assumed that there where enough viable yeast cells in suspension to ferment the fruit.
Now it's three days later and there are still no signs of visible fermentation other than some airlock activity every three to four minutes. Looks like nothing has changed...

Since I don't have much experience with Brett beers and fermentation of fruit I don't know what to expect. Should I start to get worried and perhaps add some fresh yeast or should I sit back and relax?
 
I'm a bit confused by your description. Did you rack the original beer onto the fruit? If that's the case you still have yeast in suspension but it won't ferment like a primary fermentation. You've only got a bit of bugs and yeast left in suspension.

I'm assuming you have gravity readings around 1.007 or less in the beer. So the only new sugars are from the fruit. That will ferment but it will be a slower more boring appearance.
 
You must be psychic. I do have a gravity reading of 1.007 :)

Sorry for not being clear, but I racked the beer twice. First to another carboy because I needed the yeast cake. The second time to a carboy with fruit pulp. The beer was crystal clear by then, so I assume that there is not much of the primary yeast left in suspension. However there should be some Brett left.
 
You must be psychic. I do have a gravity reading of 1.007 :)

Sorry for not being clear, but I racked the beer twice. First to another carboy because I needed the yeast cake. The second time to a carboy with fruit pulp. The beer was crystal clear by then, so I assume that there is not much of the primary yeast left in suspension. However there should be some Brett left.


Yes there is still brett in the beer. It will slowly ferment down. I'd think it could even get below 1.004 given enough time. But at this point it's not important what gravity it hits, it's the taste that matters. I'd pull a sample and taste it at this point. Then you can check it every month until it get where you want it.

You should limit contact with air going forward. Brett will eat o2 and turn it into acetic acid. That's vinegar so be careful with samples now. Purge with co2 if you have it.
You could rack it to kegs if you have them and condition under pressure on co2 if you have that option.

Cheers
 
I'm aware that Brett can produce acetic acid with the availability of O2.

This morning there was definitely more activity. The airlock is now bubbling once per 20 seconds. I'll let it go from here because the yeast will continue to replicate and fermentation should get more vigorous soon.
 
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