Semi-experienced brett brewer here, but I've never brewed a high gravity 100% brett beer - curious to hear if anyone else has had an experience like this.
Brewed five gallons of high gravity (1.080) saison - mashed at 146 (other than 15% rye, rest was two row/vienna and a touch of acid malt for ph), pitched ~350 billion cells of 2nd generation Amalgamation (Yeast Bay - 6 strains of brett). Fermentation was already VIGOROUS the next day (fermented at 70F). At the end of week 1, brought temp up to 74. By end of week 2, krausen was totally gone- brought temp up to 80. Two weeks after brew day, I went to bottle and the SG was a whopping 1.048. I've never had a beer (including 100% brett beers) only attenuate 50% in two weeks - so this was really shocking to me. Can anyone (with decent brett experience) comment on this? I could see a 100% brett beer taking 3 weeks, but 50% attenuation in ideal conditions after 2 weeks seems weird. Does brett struggle in high SG environments? (brett alcohol tolerance is reported to be 18%)
After discovering it was "stalled" I went ahead and roused the brett back into suspension with a racking cane (which has never done ANYTHING when I've tried it in the past with sach beers) - and I noticed decent air lock activity the following morning. Does everyone think this may solve the problem - or should I consider pitching another [fresh?] pitch/strain of brett (or even sach - like wyeast 3711)?
Brewed five gallons of high gravity (1.080) saison - mashed at 146 (other than 15% rye, rest was two row/vienna and a touch of acid malt for ph), pitched ~350 billion cells of 2nd generation Amalgamation (Yeast Bay - 6 strains of brett). Fermentation was already VIGOROUS the next day (fermented at 70F). At the end of week 1, brought temp up to 74. By end of week 2, krausen was totally gone- brought temp up to 80. Two weeks after brew day, I went to bottle and the SG was a whopping 1.048. I've never had a beer (including 100% brett beers) only attenuate 50% in two weeks - so this was really shocking to me. Can anyone (with decent brett experience) comment on this? I could see a 100% brett beer taking 3 weeks, but 50% attenuation in ideal conditions after 2 weeks seems weird. Does brett struggle in high SG environments? (brett alcohol tolerance is reported to be 18%)
After discovering it was "stalled" I went ahead and roused the brett back into suspension with a racking cane (which has never done ANYTHING when I've tried it in the past with sach beers) - and I noticed decent air lock activity the following morning. Does everyone think this may solve the problem - or should I consider pitching another [fresh?] pitch/strain of brett (or even sach - like wyeast 3711)?