Brettanomyces Barleywine?

[HHP]

I have a barleywine that is currently bulk aging. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) the only temperature control is what my house is set at. Because I am in Iraq the SWMBO is the one in charge of that, but she has strict instructions not to let it over 74.

It occurred to me recently (in the last ten minutes) that this might be a good candidate for a brett experiment.

The recipe for the Barleywine:

I ended up with 8 gallons (3 and 5 gallon buckets, now carboys) but 10 gallons were intended, I was just drunk at the end when it came time to put it in buckets and lost two gallons. Both buckets were pitched onto a yeast cake of wlp001 from a decently sized red.

OG: 1.11
FG: 1.022

3lbs Light DME
15lbs 2-Row
15lbs Marris Otter
2lbs Crystal 80L
.5lb Special B

2oz Simcoe (90min)
1oz Willamette (75min)
1oz Cascade (75min)
1oz Willamette (60 min)
1oz Cascade (60 min)
1oz Willamette (30 min)
1oz Cascade (30 min)
1oz Willamette (15 min)
1oz Cascade (15 min)

Mashed at 150 for 90 minutes, DME was added near the end of the boil.

I had SWMBO taste it, and she described it as "a sweet bran muffin", as she is not really a beer person I can't really expect more than that. But it does sound like its not very interesting as of right now.

There are plenty of gravity points for some brett to chew on, should i toss some in one or both? Possibly different strains in each?

I won't be back on R&R to do anything with them until late August, so there is plenty of time for the brett to work also.

Thoughts?

 

[statseeker]

I would suggest brett A or C. because, the way I understand it, it adds less funk and more flavor that might compliment a barleywine. I'm not a fan of the horse blanket type smell so I'd be more likely to go with C. than B. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[SickTransitMundus]

Definitely try brett claussenii. White Labs sells it year-round as WLP645, perfect for barleywines and old ales.

 

[jtakacs]

i'll third the brett-c... b or l would just make a barleywine have an uncomfortable funk imo... brett-c is pretty tame imo.

 

[HHP]

Yeah, I was thinking Claussenii also.

Im thinking I will do the five gallon carboy, because I am pretty sure it will taste good, and leave the three gallon as a control. Should I move the three gallon to cold storage in the mean time?

Beersmith says that its ~80IBU, will that have much effect on the brett?

 

[Calder]

I don't believe Brett has a problem with IBUs.

 

[statseeker]

If you like the way 001 did it's thing, then yes cold storage would be the next step for the 3 gallon one. You could also store it at fermenting temps (66 or so) and let the IBUs round out over time and compare it to the brett-ed batch after 6 months or so to see which of them you like better or which properties the brett infused. If I was using 3 gallons as a control, I would definitely age it at the same period as the brett batch.

 

[HHP]

I havent tasted it, but 001 attenuated well, and it has a few months of age on it. The real problem is that I have no temp control other than the house temp, or the fridge temp.

Its either ~75f or ~35f, and I am leaning toward the 35f for the control, unless you all think it would be fine at 75f.