Starch, I want to add starch

[DPBISME]

So I did this brew where I had horrible conversion...

I had read that some Bretts would eat starch so off to my LHBS and I asked if they had a recommendation, they did and said the American Farm House Ale, White Labs I think... The guy said it was known to eat the inside of barrels so I figured that was the yeast for me.

The beer was Brett Strong,,, I mean it was so heavy I thought I might have to use this beer as a blending beer.... I keg.

A couple months later I tried it and it had mellowed and was outstanding. Clear, tasty, and I mean,,,, really something to try to brew again.

So, I want to add about 1/2 pound of starch to the boil to give my little yeasties something else to eat in the fermenter... I mean the Belgians do it in the Mash Tun so there must be a product.

What product might I try, any ideas?

DPB

 

[didinho]

So I did this brew where I had horrible conversion...

I had read that some Bretts would eat starch so off to my LHBS and I asked if they had a recommendation, they did and said the American Farm House Ale, White Labs I think... The guy said it was known to eat the inside of barrels so I figured that was the yeast for me.

The beer was Brett Strong,,, I mean it was so heavy I thought I might have to use this beer as a blending beer.... I keg.

A couple months later I tried it and it had mellowed and was outstanding. Clear, tasty, and I mean,,,, really something to try to brew again.

So, I want to add about 1/2 pound of starch to the boil to give my little yeasties something else to eat in the fermenter... I mean the Belgians do it in the Mash Tun so there must be a product.

What product might I try, any ideas?

DPB

Belgians do turbid mash: conversion is incomplete and some starch is in the wort, for later brett fermentation. but I won't try it at home: fermentation will become unpredictable and you will never be sure if the FG is reached before bottling. Belgians let brett ferment for months or ages in barrels, while you risk to bottle beer with starc inside, that may ferment in bottle and become a bomb of CO2.
Brett sould have enough complex dextrins to eat from a normal wort

 

[November]

I would try cornstarch.

 

[BigPerm]

Wheat flour is the easiest to just add to the boil, but 1/2 lb is a ton. If you're going to do it, I'd stick with a few tbsp - it'll give something to chew on without making a gunky mess out of your wort. You can also try maltodextrin or mash at a high to give the brett something to chew on over a long period of time.

MODS - this might be better in the Lambic and Wild section. Just a suggestion...

 

[DPBISME]

I found out a lot of cornstarch is really wheat starch...

All you do is look on the packaging.

ALSO; Asian cooking uses Wheat Starch and it can be purchased in Asian Food Stores.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Give a turbid mash a shot. I do one every year for my annual Lamebic. It's an involved brew day, not unlike decoction mashing, however I do think it's easier than decoction mashing since you're doing more infusion than decoction. However, it does take time, and to do it right you end up with a huge volume of runnings (I get about 9 gallons for a 5.5 gallon batch), so it ends up being a multi-hour boil. Where I complete a normal 60 minute boil, 60 minute mash brew in about 5 hours (less if I hustle), this takes closer to 8 hours.

 

[newB_newyorker]

There was an episode of Basic Brewing radio where this guest was talking about using pasta as a source of starch. From what I remember she said it was a successful experiment and it definitely seems less messy in comparison to using flour

 

[D-Train]

After collecting your wort, steep some flaked oats at mash out temp or above. I read this somewhere here when researching turbid mash and alternatives.