Wyeast 5112 Brett B.

[Jeepaholic]

I bought a pack of 5112 and have stepped it up with 2, 2 litre starters. I don't really have a plan for it and I am wondering what should I do with it? What would be a good beer to make with that much Brett B?

 

[Jnco_hippie]

Try a belgian saison grain and hop bill. The belgian format readily takes to 100% brett very well.

IPA will also go well with brett primary.

Go look through the lambic/wild forum. We have a thread on a Rakau single hop brett saison somewhere down the list.

Flavor is great on ours!

 

[Beernik]

I just used it for a Brett IIPA.

 

[Jeepaholic]

I am going to do a simple Sasion style grain bill with some Citra and Simcoe hops.

12 pounds of pilsner, 3.5 pounds each of flaked corn and wheat. ~35 ibu with a half ounce of each hop at 20 and 2 mins.

 

[Calder]

I am going to do a simple Sasion style grain bill with some Citra and Simcoe hops.

12 pounds of pilsner, 3.5 pounds each of flaked corn and wheat. ~35 ibu with a half ounce of each hop at 20 and 2 mins.

I'm hoping that is for 10 gallons. For 5 gallons that is going to put you over 1.100. Brett as the primary yeast is not super-attenuative, and you will end up with a sweet beer, even if you mash low. You might want to replace some of the malt with some sugar to help dry it out.

If it is a 10 gallon batch it sounds fine, not overpowering with the hops. I usually go with English or noble hops so they don't interfere with the Brett flavors. I think this should be subdued enough.

If you have any Aromatic or Melanoiden, it will help give a little more malt flavor, or alternatively some Munich or Vienna.

 

[Jeepaholic]

I'm hoping that is for 10 gallons. For 5 gallons that is going to put you over 1.100. Brett as the primary yeast is not super-attenuative, and you will end up with a sweet beer, even if you mash low. You might want to replace some of the malt with some sugar to help dry it out.

If it is a 10 gallon batch it sounds fine, not overpowering with the hops. I usually go with English or noble hops so they don't interfere with the Brett flavors. I think this should be subdued enough.

If you have any Aromatic or Melanoiden, it will help give a little more malt flavor, or alternatively some Munich or Vienna.

The plan was for that to be a 6 gallon batch. My software puts it at 1.097 OG. That puts it right at the 12% ABV that Wyeast shows for it. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Brett would finish with a very low FG as it tends to dry beers out.

As far as hops I have a couple pounds of German hallartau I could use instead.

 

[Beernik]

I got 78.5% apparent attenuation: 1.069 to 1.014. I mashed at 151F.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

Brett B can be very sensitive to the sterilization properties of hops. There is a reason why there are not too many hoppy sour beers, as most, including Orval are simply dry hopped.

An Orval clone would make the best use of Brett B if you've never used it before. Simple Belgian Golden ale fermented with a "cleaner" Belgian yeast like Wyeast 3787, then a secondary with Brett B. Let age for 2 months or so, then bottle or keg.

 

[Calder]

The plan was for that to be a 6 gallon batch. My software puts it at 1.097 OG. That puts it right at the 12% ABV that Wyeast shows for it. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Brett would finish with a very low FG as it tends to dry beers out.

As far as hops I have a couple pounds of German hallartau I could use instead.

A lot of home-brewing is all for experimenting and creating unique beers, so if you have some beer in mind, don't let me stray you away from it.

My experience with Brett-B (WLP650) is that it is a low attenuator when used as a primary yeast, somewhere between 70 and 75%. Wyeast yeast may be different. Brett dries beers out when used as a secondary yeast; it works differently, and produces different flavors.

Until you know how the yeast performs and what flavor it produces, why go for a 12% brew. You might end up with 6 gallons of beer that you really don't want to drink much. Start with something about 6%, find out what the yeast does, and then move up.

I would think Hallertau would go better than American hops, but I have never paired American hops with Brett-B yeast.

 

[Jeepaholic]

Hmm, the only reason I chose that recipie is because it's the grain bill I often make for my tank 7 clone.

I'm open to suggestions, I do have some mason jars of 3787 right now so I could go that route. I'm have been thinking of brewing a Belgian double.

 

[dcp27]

I think your plan is fine, i've made a tripel about that size (1.095 to 1.016) with brett and it turned out well. as Calder pointed out, brett generally won't super attenuate as a primary strain so don't expect it to. just treat it like any normal strain, expect give it a little extra time

I think brux goes great with hops, I find it pretty neutral when used as a primary strain. That's been WL not Wy tho, so YMMV

Brett B can be very sensitive to the sterilization properties of hops. There is a reason why there are not too many hoppy sour beers, as most, including Orval are simply dry hopped.

absolutely not. brett is unaffected by hops, the only thing that really is affected is lacto.