1st 100% Brett Fermented Recipe Critique

I would not worry as much about the hops. Wyeast Brett lambicus has a huge cherry flavor at first then turns funky. I feel that either will turn out great however I like the first one better due to the smaller % of wheat/oats. I would almost do wheat or oats not both. However, I am just a homebrewer I still have a lot to learn. Good luck and cheers!

 

I have never personally made a 100% Brett beer but it is my understanding that 100% Brett beers do not produce much in terms of funk.

Here is a blog which details the first 100% Brett beer that Michael Tonsmiere made: http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2007/02/1st-100-brettanomyces-brew.html

Maybe Michael (@OldSock) has more wisdom to share in this thread.

Cheers!

 

It's strain dependent. He used strains that were to be more fruity and such, rather than horsey and funky.

Brett Trois will be an extremely fruity and delicious brett to use in an IPA.

Brux for example, is pretty darn funky, and what most would consider a traditional brett, in my opinion.

 

I am aware that Brett Brux can indeed produce funky flavors. I have used this strain in conjunction with Belgian Ale yeast for a primary fermentation and there was indeed lots of funk.

Below is from Wyeast:

“YEAST STRAIN: 5112 | Brettanomyces bruxellensis™

This strain of wild yeast was isolated from brewery cultures in the Brussels region of Belgium. It produces the classic “sweaty horse blanket” character of indigenous beers such as gueuze, lambics and sour browns and may form a pellicle in bottles or casks. The strain is generally used in conjunction with S. cerevisiae, as well as other wild yeast and lactic bacteria. At least 3-6 months aging is generally required for flavor to fully develop.”

Have you brewed with 100% Brett Brux? If so, did that yeast produce funk despite the absence of using an ale yeast as well?

Cheers!

 

I have brewed a 100% brew brux beer, but also tossed in some pedio with it after a couple months. It was funky and saison like before I added the pedio, as I wanted some tartness.

The OP however, is using Brett Lambicus, which will get funky for him.

 

Below is a review about using Brett Lambicus (WLP653) from the White Labs website.

According to Justin, his first few times brewing with this yeast strain produced fruit forward beers.

Cheers!

“Be patient”

By: Justin | Date: Dec., 14th 2013 | Beer(s) Brewed: Flanders Red, Rye Saison, Pumpkin ale

I've used this beer in numerous batches as a 100% brett fermentation. The first one, a flanders red, took forever took get going and even longer to finish - almost six weeks. But I kept washing the yeast and using it in successive batches and I'm now in the 6th generation. The first few fermentation's produced very fruity (pineapple flavor?) beers, but progressively they got more and more phenolic. They also fermented stronger and stronger each time - the last batch only took one week to take a 1.056 saison down to 1.008. Two weeks and it was down to 1.004. This has now become my favorite yeast and I want use it in everything.”

Cheers!

 

“…is suppose to produce a cherry or cherry pie like flavor/aroma.” I personally have never brewed with Brett Lambicus so I have no firsthand knowledge here. I thought you were shooting to get some funk in your beer (and FATC1TY suggests this could happen) but I see you anticipate fruit type flavors (“cherry”).

Justin on the White Labs website reported “pineapple flavor?”.

Please report back on what type of flavor profile you obtained with your 100% Brett Lambicus beer.

Cheers!

 

Young, you will get the flavor profile similar, but weaker, than say.. tart of darkness. Ever had that commercial example? It has the dry, tart cherry notes.

 

It won't be as sour, but similar nose on the beer, IMO. Tart of Darkness has pedio in it, along with lacto.

 

I've done a few different 100% Brett beers. I've never brewed one that was funky. The very first Brett beer I did was using Brett-C and after 2 years in the bottle it actually did become funky, but it never was until that point. Other then that all other Brett beers I've brewed have been very fruity or phenolic.

I've never used Brett-L so I can't comment on that but based off of your hopping plans I would use Brett-trois if you can find it. If you want the Brett to shine through, don't use expressive hops. Go with EKG for bittering and let Brett-L produce all of the aroma during fermentation.

 

Ive brewed 100% Brett L beers and also tasted other peoples BL beers. It starts fruity (not necessarily cherry) and will (like any brett beer) become funky with time

Here was my first try with 100% brett L
http://ryanbrews.blogspot.com/2009/04/100-brett-l-malty-brown.html
http://ryanbrews.blogspot.com/2011/04/brett-l-malty-brown-review.html

 

my (too late) opinion:

1. build one hell of a starter. usually 2 weeks in advance. no cold crashing. aim for a 3 litre starter.
2. almost always mash low. it just tastes and works better. 152 F is ok. i'd aim for 149-150 F.
3. build the profile like you would for most non-brett beer. just keep the hops low, as you did.
4. b lambicus...the brett strain that doesn't really exist You get funk from all brett strains when used as primary yeasts. all of them. depends on your definition of funk and on your nose/palate. i find that most brett strains give you umami with time. b brux trois's a neat example. i get strawberry from it, but i taste some meat with time. b brux, tho, as a primary, gives you some barnyard and those notes of Orval that you really enjoy.

 

Im contemplating using WLP644 in an IPA recipe (posted here in the recipe forum) but have more than a few concerns. Namely, the length of time that ill need to build a starter along with the concerns that come with using a wild yeast and equipment contamination issues. The last thing I wanna do as a newish home brewer is to have to replace my half of my equipment so I don't worry myself sick about infections for the rest of my burgeoning brewing career

Any tips for a wild yeast noob @FATC1TY ?