ECY34 "Dirty Dozen"--now what?

[loctones]

Any other updates on this blend? I just ordered some today, and I'm interested in hearing more about others' experiences. My initial thoughts are a standard saison with this blend and Dupont co-pitched, or a strong golden with WLP750 and this blend (hoping to get some nice interplay with the pear esters, maybe).

 

[inflictor-of-grimness]

I used my Dirty Dozen in a "farmhouse pale ale" with citra and mosaic a month ago. Maybe I'll pull a sample soon and let you know how it tastes as a primary yeast in a young beer.

I also saved some slurry from the yeast starter I made. I'll probably use that in a saison sometime soon.

 

[secondbase]

My DD pale ale is about 8 months old now. The flavor is a pure fruit bomb. Lots of overripe, musty fruit alongside a little tartness. I wish I had a carbed it a lot higher because the body feels a little flabby. Carbed it at 2 volumes, and if I could do it again, I'd go with 3+. I can't wait to get another beer going with this.

 

[BGBC]

My DD pale ale is about 8 months old now. The flavor is a pure fruit bomb. Lots of overripe, musty fruit alongside a little tartness. I wish I had a carbed it a lot higher because the body feels a little flabby. Carbed it at 2 volumes, and if I could do it again, I'd go with 3+. I can't wait to get another beer going with this.

Care to share some recipe details?

 

[secondbase]

Care to share some recipe details?

Sure.

10# 2-row
8oz vienna
8oz flaked wheat
8oz acidulated

.5oz centennial @ 60
1oz each centennial, cascade @ 10
1oz each centennial, cascade @ flameout
No dry hop but I would if I make this again.

Mash 152º for 75 minutes. Pitched at 70º and rose to 75º. Took about 3 months to drop to 1.000. Bottled at 5 months.

 

[sweetcell]

my DD-as-primary batch is coming up to its one year anniversary, along with a few other sours (namely the other half of the same batch, which got ECY20 Bug County). at some point i need to take a half day to taste, blend and bottle several batches.

had another one of my DD-at-bottling saison. same as before: major citrus, tiny hint of tartness. a non-beer-drinker told me they specifically got lime. they also didn't like it, then again they don't like sour/funky beer. overall i'm not particularly impressed with this beer. doubtful that i'll repeat this experience - too much else to try, not enough carboys...

 

[bizoneill]

I just picked this up as well and was wondering what to brew with it. First thought was to throw it into a farmhouse ale though...

 

[BGBC]

Anyone have thoughts/opinions on using this blend for primary in a mead? Maybe @MarshmallowBlue ?

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Anyone have thoughts/opinions on using this blend for primary in a mead? Maybe @MarshmallowBlue ?

Did someone call?

I say go for it. Keep the ABV below 10, use .25lb/gal of maltodextrin if the blend has regular yeast in it.

 

[BGBC]

Did someone call?

I say go for it. Keep the ABV below 10, use .25lb/gal of maltodextrin if the blend has regular yeast in it.

100% brett blend, but still thinking about adding the malto-d for mouthfeel purposes.

 

[sweetcell]

100% brett blend, but still thinking about adding the malto-d for mouthfeel purposes.

MD won't work, brett can ferment it.

 

[Agate]

I have it going in a cider, don't see why it wouldn't be awesome in a mead!

 

[BGBC]

MD won't work, brett can ferment it.

Would steeped oats be a better choice for the beta glucans?

http://www.lewybrewing.com/2013/02/100-brett-mead-oohh-yes.html

 

[BGBC]

I have it going in a cider, don't see why it wouldn't be awesome in a mead!

Straight juice?

 

[Agate]

Straight juice?

Yes, mix of feral apples. But it finishes so dry even with regular yeast, I wasn't too concerned about enhancing mouthfeel. Strangely, though, it's a lot cleaner so far than previous ciders I've done with sacch.

 

[popquizkid]

So I made a big brown ale (similar to Pentagram) and did 100% primary with this yeast. Added some oak cubes a few weeks ago and this actually was sour? This was a month in the fermentor.

Was a little surprised. ECY says it can develop some sourness with log term aging but I thought this was pretty quick. Curious to see what it tastes like after a few months on the oak.

 

[jfolks]

Finally got my hands on some DD last week. Had an August production date, which surprised me (given how it flies off the Love2Brew shelves as soon as it's posted). Opened up the vial - no fizz/pop that one would expect from opening a vigorously shaken bottle of yeast.

4 days post pitch (sitting at 62 degrees) and still no signs of fermentation (meanwhile the other half of the 10 gal batch I brewed - spruce kveik - took off within 2 hours or so).

Anybody experienced a DD lag time this long?

 

[jfolks]

Finally got my hands on some DD last week. Had an August production date, which surprised me (given how it flies off the Love2Brew shelves as soon as it's posted). Opened up the vial - no fizz/pop that one would expect from opening a vigorously shaken bottle of yeast.

4 days post pitch (sitting at 62 degrees) and still no signs of fermentation (meanwhile the other half of the 10 gal batch I brewed - spruce kveik - took off within 2 hours or so).

Anybody experienced a DD lag time this long?

Well 7 days later, it's finally working! View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1480129866.800987.jpg

 

[Wes440]

The brett can take longer to get going, especially when not freshly pitched from a starter. If you pitched the whole vial, there's definitely enough to do the job.

I use DD as a bottle conditioning yeast, it doesn't take much, just a bit more time.

 

[jfolks]

Well 7 days later, it's finally working! View attachment 378282

Well dang- 3 weeks in and only down 10 points from 1.046. Is this normal for this blend? Roused, raised, and fingers crossed

 

[crane]

I've done a few brews with dirty dozen recently and in each case it fermented out within 2 weeks to its terminal gravity. I did create starters that I stepped up multiple times. My vials were at least 6 months old before making a starter out of them. So a healthy pitch can easily take it down below 1.010 in a week.

 

[505-Brewer]

Sounds awesome. I have a vial I need to use soon.

I second L2B's support and customer service. I had a vial that never took off and they fully sent me a new one. Great folks.

 

[505-Brewer]

Pellicle formed in the starter!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1490190070.370777.jpg

 

[505-Brewer]

I quick soured a 1.042 wort 60/40 pale and wheat with lacto brevis and after three days pitched the dirty dozen blend. This kicked up in under 12 hours and fermentation appears done in just 3-4 days. 2 weeks after pitching the dirty dozen brett I plan on adding a tart montmorency concentrate from kingorchards. 16 oz concentrate is roughly ten pounds of cherries, I'm planning on 20 oz into this and letting that sit two weeks. Should be ready to keg then so about a month on this total. Quick and dirty kriek anyone? Hope it comes out well, previous quick sours have been great (especially a recent one with 15 lbs nectarines). Higher gravity then my berliners and with the bugs eating the cherry sugars I'm hoping the dirty dozen adds a nice character to my quick souring method.

Anyone have any thoughts on my method? I'm just hoping I get something different out of this.

Howd the cherry concentrate kriek turn out?