What to brew with WLP644 (Brett Trois)

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Calder

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I have a vial of WLP644 sitting in the fridge, just about at it's use by date. Not sure what to make with it.

What has anyone made with it that they would recommend. I'm open to almost anything.

Plan to use it for something in 2 weeks. Going to make a starter next weekend and step it up during the week. All I need now is a recipe.

Hoppy or Malty, or just let the yeast shine in a Farmhouse style??
 
just made a standard american IPA with this yeast. Centennial, Citra, Chinook. very heavy on the ripe fruity esters, including (to me) peachy notes. doesn't drop very well so it was rather cloudy, but didn't bother me.
 
Make damn near anything. I've had great successes with wheat based pales and ipas. Be sure to make a stepped starter, there is not much in that vial.
 
just made a standard american IPA with this yeast. Centennial, Citra, Chinook. very heavy on the ripe fruity esters, including (to me) peachy notes. doesn't drop very well so it was rather cloudy, but didn't bother me.

But, how good was it?

Make damn near anything. I've had great successes with wheat based pales and ipas. Be sure to make a stepped starter, there is not much in that vial.

I plan to.
 
definitely go fruity/citrusy hop forward. I made a session IPA with Apollo/Citra/Eureka that turned out fantastic. Hard to tell where the yeast esters end and the hop flavors begin.

I've got another vial in the fridge and plan to do another like it. Maybe azaaca/citra but I haven't decided yet.
 
Just tapped one using Galaxy only. I'm getting a touch of funk along with some tropical fruity notes. The slightest bit of tartness, and it gives me an impression of pineapple.

I had a pretty old vial, and stepped it up a couple of times, but once it was stepped up it had to sit for a couple of weeks till I could brew. I wonder if I grew enough yeast, and possibly stressed the yeast during primary. I've read where people get a cleaner than they expected profile form this yeast unless it's stressed, so I'm guessing I stressed it by not possibly growing enough initially?

Beer probably needs another week or two cold conditioning, but I'm really warming up to it. It's unique, and gets better as it warms up a touch.

I would definitely go fruity/citrusy with this yeast as others above have said. This was the first time I've used this yeast, and I'm definitely going to use it again.
 
But, how good was it?

I thought it was great. Definitely tasted like an IPA but with a ton of fruity notes. as people have mentioned, hard to tell where the hop aromatic end and the fruity esters start. I did not get much funk at all. saved some of the yeast in the fridge and will use it again with the NZ hops.
 
I just finished the keg off last week of the wlp644 beer I made 6 months ago. I called it a brett porter, for lack of a better term. It was 1.045og second runnings from an imperial stout. 100% 644 fermentation. Holy balls! One of the best I've made. Usually my 2nd runnings beers are thin, and unremarkable. Just simple drinking beers, but this was filled with subtle fruit flavors, dark fruits and cherry. Much fuller/creamier body too than my partigyle beers usually have. Someone suggested Belgian Quad... my beer was like a belgian dubbel light, with less belgian. Does that make sense? I want to do another low roast dark beer with this yeast. Delicious.
 
sub'd

Thinking about using this for primary ferment for my first sour and probably an IPA

Sounds like such an interesting yeast. WL recently stated its actually a sacc strain, and not brett, but it still forms a pellicle and throws all those unique esters.
 
I think if you expect a good amount of souring with this yeast, you'll be disappointed.

It's a great yeast for pale ales and IPA's imo. It adds a ton of tropical fruit…but different to an IPA hop bomb. I get lots of passionfruit and some pineapple.

I get very little souring and no pellicle. Its great yeast and could be used for a bunch of styles. I still have to experiment with it at other temps.
 
I think I am too late for brewing with this next week - haven't gotten the starter going yet. Expecting to build it a couple of times, and take a sample to save for future use, so may not be ready in a week. Plan is to make a Citra Pale Ale next week with some Chico yeast I have ready to go.

That gives me 3 weeks to figure out what to make with 644. I don't want to do a Belgian style, as I have a couple of other Belgian/Saison yeasts going right now.

Currently thinking of some type of Pale Ale/IPA with Mosaic, Citra, or Amarillo - which would go best? ...... I have lots of others too. Question: Do you need lots of hops with this yeast. IPAs tend to have the hops shine, with malt and yeast in the background. If the yeast provides a lot of flavor, do you need a hop-bomb, or just pale ale levels?

But, the thought of a dark beer intrigues me, maybe a Porter with Coffee malt and Cara-aroma, with little to no roast/black. Would welcome any comments on this.
 
I did two IPAs with this yeast and I didn't like either, they came out unpleasantly harsh tasting. So I'd suggest something without substantial hop bitterness.
 
in my opinion this yeast is fantastic with the new fruity hops i.e. Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Nelson, Amarillo, Simcoe. personally I use a small amount of neutral bittering hops and focus on late additions and dry hopping to try to re-create the "New England" style IPAs. if you like these cloudy, juicy beers then give this yeast a try.
 
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