The Minstrel - A crazy, funky 100% brett fermented beer

[saq]

Recipe: The Minstrel
Brewer: saq
Asst Brewer:
Style: Saison
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.30 gal
Boil Size: 7.34 gal
Estimated OG: 1.090 SG
Estimated Color: 14.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 39.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
0.50 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 2.76 %
9.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 49.67 %
3.00 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 16.56 %
3.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 16.56 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt BYOB (140.0 SRM) Grain 2.76 %
0.12 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.66 %
0.75 oz Chinook BYOB Plug [14.30 %] (90 min) Hops 35.4 IBU
0.25 oz Chinook BYOB Plug [14.30 %] (10 min) Hops 4.0 IBU
0.50 gm Paradise Seeds (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Servomyces (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
11.00 gm Dried Elderflowers (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 lb Desert Flower Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 11.04 %
1 Pkgs Brettanomyces claussenii (White Labs #WLP6Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Double Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 16.12 lb
----------------------------
Double Infusion, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
40 min Protein Rest Add 9.67 qt of water at 137.2 F 122.0 F
30 min Saccrification Add 11.28 qt of water at 179.2 F 149.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 11.28 qt of water at 208.2 F 168.0 F


So after hearing about a few crazy brews that sounded/were really awesome (olllllo's GABF pro-am beer, Avery Fifteen, Lost Abbey Carnevale) I decided I needed to step it up and do something crazy and boundry stretching. It started out as kind of a Saison with Chinook (to take a page from Carnevale) and some Grains of Paradise, then I remembered some really tasty Blackberry Pale Ale I had at the local homebrew club recently so in goes some honey. olllllo's GABF pro-am had dried elderberry and grains of paradise and Avery Fifteen had white pepper and hibiscus, but I can't get either of those so I went with elderflowers/grains of paradise.

Been kicking this idea around for a while, and I think I've finally settled the grain bill down to this. I'd like to do blackberry honey but I'm not sure I can get some by saturday, plus Desert Flower Honey sounds pretty interesting and I'd be supporting local business.

Also I've thought about putting dates in but I'm not sure if using some ripened dates is a good idea or how to use them. Comments? Suggestions?


Edit: Update recipe and fermentation notes! Beer is completed and drinking very well!

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.30 gal
Boil Size: 7.34 gal
Estimated OG: 1.080 SG
Estimated Color: 18.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 53.73 %
6.00 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 35.82 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt BYOB (140.0 SRM) Grain 2.99 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.49 %
1.00 oz Sterling [6.20 %] (90 min) Hops 20.0 IBU
1.00 items Servomyces (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 gm Paradise Seeds (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
18.00 gm Dried Elderflowers (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Date Sugar (3.0 SRM) Sugar 5.97 %
1 Pkgs Brettanomyces claussenii (WLP645) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 15.75 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 24.00 qt of water at 168.8 F 156.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 8.00 qt of water at 209.6 F 168.0 F


Notes:
------
5/11/09 - 1.080 OG, higher than expected. The fruity elderberry flavor almost comes through the sweetness of the wort.
5/26/09 - 1.058 SG, brett seemed slow to respond, no visible activity until 4 days later.
5/30/09 - Raised fridge temp to 70f, brett seemed to wake up, small but thick looking foam at the top.
6/3/09 - After some significant airlock activity took a gravity reading, 1.034, not too shabby. Tastes fairly tart and flowery.
6/8/09 - Did another gravity reading, 1.020, seems to have cooled down with the fridge when lowering initial Pious v1 fermentation temp, time to add the dates.
6/10/09 - Fermentation has slowed in fridge with temp at 65f, took out of fridge to ferment at ambient 78-80f temperature. Beer woke up big time.
7/1/09 - The beer is definitely done, 1.006. Very clear, very tart, very flowery, very funky, good stuff. Kegged and chilling.
7/2/09 - Put 20PSI on and shook a few times, left on for carbonation.
7/5/09 - First taste test, carbonation level is almost there.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[saq]

After talking iwth some folks I think I might make the following changes.
Drop the 2lbs of honey, substitute with 1lbs or 2lbs of jaggery (date sugar).
Perhaps change out the chinook with an equal IBU amount of EKG/styrian goldings/czech premiant something.
Increase Grains of Paradise amount to 1 gram.
Thoughts?

 

[nealf]

this thread needs pics!

 

[saq]

Its still in the planning stage! I might brew it this saturday.

 

[saq]

Here's the new plan.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.30 gal
Boil Size: 7.34 gal
Estimated OG: 1.090 SG
Estimated Color: 15.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
0.50 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 2.76 %
9.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 49.67 %
3.00 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 16.56 %
3.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 16.56 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt BYOB (140.0 SRM) Grain 2.76 %
0.12 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.66 %
2.00 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (90 min) Hops 32.8 IBU
1.00 gm Paradise Seeds (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Servomyces (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
11.00 gm Dried Elderflowers (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 lb Jaggery (3.0 SRM) Sugar 11.04 %
1 Pkgs Brettanomyces claussenii (White Labs #WLP6Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Double Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 16.12 lb
----------------------------
Double Infusion, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
40 min Protein Rest Add 9.67 qt of water at 137.2 F 122.0 F
30 min Saccrification Add 11.28 qt of water at 179.2 F 149.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 11.28 qt of water at 208.2 F 168.0 F

 

[Saccharomyces]

Drool.

Curious why you chose malted wheat/rye instead of unmalted, the unmalted stuff is usually used for wild beers?

Looks great but I'd add a little Styrian Goldings at 5 min or so as a finishing addition.

 

[nealf]

I am also curious about the low mash temp, what was your reasoning there? I have always mashed high... but, then again, I have never done all brett so I am sure there is a reason behind that.

 

[saq]

I actually did a bunch of research on the mash last night. I read something by Jeff Sparrow that said a single infusion mash @ 154-156 for 90 minutes ends up working great for all-brett beers. I think I'm going to switch it up to that.

 

[Saccharomyces]

I doubt mash temp would make much of a difference since the brett would chew through steel.

 

[saq]

I doubt mash temp would make much of a difference since the brett would chew through steel.

One of the other reasons I'm just going to go with a single infusion

I didn't think about the unmalted wheat. The recipe originally started out as a Saison (hence malted wheat) which lead into the Avery Fifteen Brett Saison idea. I don't think the LHBS has unmalted rye, but they do have wheat. You think I should change it up? I'll check Wild Brews when I get home to see what he has to say on that topic.

 

[99blackgt]

what kind of a taste does BRETT impart on a beer? I've only had 1 or 2 that were aged with brett, but it was before i was home brewing and never really put any thought into it. But being that my name is brett. I would like to make a Brett's Brett and try something like this out.. i wanna know what it will taste like though.. Sorry for the hi-jack

 

[Saccharomyces]

One of the other reasons I'm just going to go with a single infusion

I didn't think about the unmalted wheat. The recipe originally started out as a Saison (hence malted wheat) which lead into the Avery Fifteen Brett Saison idea. I don't think the LHBS has unmalted rye, but they do have wheat. You think I should change it up? I'll check Wild Brews when I get home to see what he has to say on that topic.

I'd go unmalted on the wheat, probably not on the rye since I have heard nightmare stories of stuck mashes with unmalted rye...

 

[Chello]

what kind of a taste does BRETT impart on a beer? I've only had 1 or 2 that were aged with brett, but it was before i was home brewing and never really put any thought into it. But being that my name is brett. I would like to make a Brett's Brett and try something like this out.. i wanna know what it will taste like though.. Sorry for the hi-jack

Sour and funky come to mind... thats the best way to describe it really.

 

[9/9]

I like the idea of what is going on here. I have been feeling the need to do something a bit unusual lately, but don't feel like I know enough right now to just start something completely on my own here.

What is the time scale on a Brett beer? I assume it has a longer aging time that usual?

 

[Saccharomyces]

I like the idea of what is going on here. I have been feeling the need to do something a bit unusual lately, but don't feel like I know enough right now to just start something completely on my own here.

What is the time scale on a Brett beer? I assume it has a longer aging time that usual?

Primary fermentation supposedly takes about the same length as with saccharomyces strains but the secondary fermentation can last six months or more until the fermentable dextrines are exhausted. Each time the fermentable sugars run out the brett produce more enzymes to break down longer dextrine chains... it's a slow process.

 

[saq]

I think I'm gonna drop the malted wheat and go 6lbs of rye. A half pound of rice hulls + my blichmann false bottom should keep me from getting any kind of stuck mash Never had a problem yet! Off to the LHBS!

 

[saq]

Here's my final brewsheet. I'm just about to mash in.

Recipe: The Minstrel
Brewer: saq
Asst Brewer:
Style: Saison
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.30 gal
Boil Size: 7.34 gal
Estimated OG: 1.080 SG
Estimated Color: 18.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
0.50 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 2.90 %
9.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 52.17 %
6.00 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 34.78 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt BYOB (140.0 SRM) Grain 2.90 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.45 %
1.00 oz Sterling [6.20 %] (90 min) Hops 20.0 IBU
1.00 items Servomyces (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
2.00 gm Paradise Seeds (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
18.00 gm Dried Elderflowers (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Jaggery Date Sugar (3.0 SRM) Sugar 5.80 %
1 Pkgs Brettanomyces claussenii (White Labs #WLP6Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 16.25 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 24.00 qt of water at 167.9 F 155.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 8.50 qt of water at 210.6 F 168.0 F

 

[saq]

Temp corrected preboil gravity reading @ 1.061, right on target. Just need to get my final volume in correctly.

 

[saq]

I finished with 1.080, about 78% eff. Pitched yeast, now it begins.

 

[llazy_llama]

Brettanomyces claussenii (White Labs #WLP6Yeast-Ale

Assuming you meant WLP 653.

 

[s3n8]

Let us know how this one turns out... In a year.

Ever since I tried Avery fifteen, I have been reading up on wild beers, this one seems interesting.

 

[saq]

Yeah it's WLP653, beersmith didn't have room to fit it on the text page.

With Brett as primary fermentation it isn't going to take a year to finish like if it was in with lacto/pedi, which is why Im doing this

 

[ChrisKennedy]

And 100% brett beers don't appear to super attenuate, keeping in the 75-80%AA range.

Pitching rates and aeration also play large roles in the character you get.

Read this transcript over at the BBB for more info.

http://www.babblebelt.com/newboard/brew_resource/Horse_of_a_Different_Color.pdf

 

[saq]

That PDF is one of the things I read a while ago that got me inspired to do this.
I drank some of The Bruery's Saisons that supposedly have brett in them. Saison Rue and Saison Lente. Both were excellent Saisons but I didn't get much brett out of them. Perhaps its bottle conditioned? The Avery Fifteen has much more funky brett character, but it is still mild and restrained which is what I'm hoping for.

 

[ChrisKennedy]

You think the brett character in Avery 15 is mild and restrained? Good lord man!

I think Avery 15 is right up there with the De Proef brett beers.

 

[saq]

I would say Avery Fifteen is mild compared to real sours, its is no Rodenbach Grand Cru, La Folie, Duchesse De Bourgogne, etc. A lot of other beers with brett I've had (like orval) are so mild its practically about as funky as regular Belgian yeast.

 

[ChrisKennedy]

Sourness-wise of course, it is not sour at all But funk wise? It is much much funkier than any Flanders Red I have ever had, including Rodenbach, La Folie, Duchesse etc, as funky as many lambics I have had (including those from Cantillon and Drie Fontenein), and as funky as the brett beers from De Proef, which are very funky beers.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Keep in mind this is from a guy who probably drinks Bigfoot on his lunch break because it's a session beer to him. :cross:

 

[saq]

lol.
I suppose the funk level of Avery Fifteen depends on what you are comparing it to. When was the last time you had it ChrisKennedy? I had one about 2 months ago and it was very nice!

If I really like this recipe I'll rebrew it with maybe a few tweaks and use a different brett strain.

 

[ChrisKennedy]

Less than that, probably about a month ago. Haha, I am just wondering what you think it is mild and restrained compared to, that has got to be a funnnnnnnkkkkyyyyy beer!