Question about brett IPAs - time and hop nose

[TravelingLight]

I've never done a brett beer, but of course it's on my list. I've had some good brett IPAs in the past. But something just hit me. As we all know, IPAs are better fresh, otherwise the hop nose that we love so much will diminish over time. We also know that brett is not to be rushed and can take months and months to finish off.

So how do people approach brett IPAs and balance the lengthy fermentation by the brett with the fresh hop nose? Only thing I was thinking was possibly a very late stage dry hop after the brett is done? Just trying to wrap my head around this. Many thanks.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'm curious too. I've used Brett (together with Sacch) in Saisons, and it takes a few months for the Brett to do their magic and the beer to be ready.

 

[m00ps]

I am drinking brett IPAs less than a month after pitching. Basically:

Brett + sacch or any other bugs = long mixed fermentation with that classic "brett character"

Brett + nothing else = fruity fruitbowl of fruit that takes less than 3 weeks to ferment. I usually go a bit longer than my regular IPAs before packaging

also, IME, the more brett strains you have the better

also also, ive heard using lager pitch rates is best for brett IPAs, so I usually make a bigger starter

also also also, DO NOT use something like a white labs vial straight pitched into a 5gal batch for an all-brett beer. The cell count is meant for a long secondary. You need to make a starter a decent amount of time before hand and step it up

 

[TravelingLight]

I am drinking brett IPAs less than a month after pitching. Basically:

Brett + sacch or any other bugs = long mixed fermentation with that classic "brett character"

Brett + nothing else = fruity fruitbowl of fruit that takes less than 3 weeks to ferment. I usually go a bit longer than my regular IPAs before packaging

also, IME, the more brett strains you have the better

also also, ive heard using lager pitch rates is best for brett IPAs, so I usually make a bigger starter

also also also, DO NOT use something like a white labs vial straight pitched into a 5gal batch for an all-brett beer. The cell count is meant for a long secondary. You need to make a starter a decent amount of time before hand and step it up

So you're saying you use brett + nothing else, right? What kind of OG and FG are you getting with that typically, just curious? I'd love to see one of your all brett IPA recipes if you've got any posted around these parts.

 

[m00ps]

There are a number of brett blends that ive tried. Yeast Bay Amalgamation is great. More recently I tried out Omega Yeast All the Bretts and its also great, but notably different. First one I tried was Omega's #2 blend which had 3 strains if I remember right. It wasnt nearly as well rounded in its flavors as the blends with a greater number of strains. Its hard to describe the flavors or each, but here's some threads:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=539881
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=568017
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=569834

 

[TravelingLight]

There are a number of brett blends that ive tried. Yeast Bay Amalgamation is great. More recently I tried out Omega Yeast All the Bretts and its also great, but notably different. First one I tried was Omega's #2 blend which had 3 strains if I remember right. It wasnt nearly as well rounded in its flavors as the blends with a greater number of strains. Its hard to describe the flavors or each, but here's some threads:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=539881
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=568017
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=569834

Thanks brother you the man.

 

[Agate]

Last Brett IPA I made was with ECY dirty dozen, and it was at terminal gravity on day 12. Also, some (most?) species of brett can release hop aglycones, which last much longer in a finished beer than typical aromatics. Like, still drinking fresh at 6 months!

 

[TravelingLight]

Last Brett IPA I made was with ECY dirty dozen, and it was at terminal gravity on day 12. Also, some (most?) species of brett can release hop aglycones, which last much longer in a finished beer than typical aromatics. Like, still drinking fresh at 6 months!

Thanks for the info. I had no idea about the aglycones.

 

[IslandLizard]

Last Brett IPA I made was with ECY dirty dozen, and it was at terminal gravity on day 12. Also, some (most?) species of brett can release hop aglycones, which last much longer in a finished beer than typical aromatics. Like, still drinking fresh at 6 months!

Did you make a starter or just pitched the whole 125ml bottle?

Didn't know about the hop aglycones either.

 

[Agate]

I pitched a pint jar of slurry in this one, but the previous beer was just the whole ECY vial. Took off within 24 hours, if I remember correctly...

One of the best all-brett IPAs I've done was a centennial/TYB Lochristi beer. I swear, closing your eyes and tasting it, it could have been mistaken for pineapple juice! Never gotten that from centennial before.

 

[m00ps]

yeah brett seems to have weird interactions with whatever hop compounds end up in the beer. I have zero chemistry knowledge or proof of this but it seems to bring some flavors of hops to the forefront and suppress others. Mostly, ive found it has a large impact on lowering the perceived bitterness

 

[DemonsRun]

I have not branched into Brett yet but I recently did a Belgian blond with Imperial's Citrus yeast which is their version of WLP644 "Bruxellensis" Trois (once thought to be a brett), it was ready in three weeks and fantastic.

 

[AK7007]

Brett primary beers are usually "done" in a couple weeks. I've never tried bottling them, and would have some worry about the yeast continuing to chew on sugars if the bottles sat for a few months. If this is the route you are taking, then you might consider chilling once carbonated.

Try it, brett IPAs are usually pretty awesome.