100% brett in primary + secondary

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by sethsticles, May 5, 2016.

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  1. sethsticles

    sethsticles Crusader (413) May 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    I'm currently building a large starter for a 100% brett primary fermentation and thought of something that I haven't come across yet. Does anyone have any experience with repitching brett in secondary after a primary fermentation with brett? From everything I've read and experienced myself, 100% brett primary still leaves some residual sugars that a secondary could clean up and finish lower. Note: my motivation is not to have an extremely dry beer finishing near 1.000, I already know that 100% brett will produce a dry and low finishing beer.

    I guess I'm trying to figure out if I would gain any complexity or fun flavors by having the additional slow and long fermentation in secondary or if repitching in secondary would negate any fun and interesting esters produced during primary, leaving me with "typical" brett secondary flavors and phenols as if I essentially co-pitched brett with saccharomyces.
     
    #1 sethsticles, May 5, 2016
  2. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't see what this would accomplish unless you used different strains of brett. The primary yeast is still in the beer and still alive/working so adding more of the same would not accomplish much/anything. Maybe I'm missing something?
     
    #2 wspscott, May 5, 2016
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  3. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    My understanding is that this is what Crooked Stave does with many of their beers. They use a blend of strains and then let it age and the Bretts continue to work away slowly. I have used a single Brett strain and let it go for a year and it got much drier and funkier. I have a couple of my 100% Brett (3 Brett blend) aging right now to see where they go over time. I have a single strain primary new strain secondary going as well.
     
    #3 jbakajust1, May 5, 2016
  4. sethsticles

    sethsticles Crusader (413) May 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    Good info guys, thanks. And I don't think you are missing something @wspscott. I understand the strain would still be in the beer but I was thinking that once the brett reached FG then it wouldn't do much after that. But I see how that is dumb and just not right at all. I think I'll let this ride until FG and pull half to drink fresh and leave the other half for further aging to see how they funk up.
     
    #4 sethsticles, May 5, 2016
  5. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Actually, the single Brett strain will achieve a dryer than Sacc but not overly dry FG in a couple weeks, then over time will slowly continue to dry it out further if kept warm. One of my older 100% Brett beers was a single strain pitch, reached a FG of 1.011 from 1.067 in 14 days. Let it set in the garage for 16 months and the Brett took it down to 1.003. I spaced adding a new yeast at bottling, and now, nearly 2 years later and the same single Brett strain is slowly carbonating the bottles.
     
    #5 jbakajust1, May 5, 2016
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  6. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Silly question: Do Brett, Lacto, and Pedio do harm to beer if left on a cake for a long time? Autolysis or anything like that?
     
    #6 inchrisin, May 6, 2016
  7. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    No harm, more funk. Think the funk difference between Flanders Red and Lambic. Flanders is primary fermented in stainless then moved to Foeders or barrels to age. Lambic is primary fermented in the barrel and left to age on the yeast.
     
    #7 jbakajust1, May 6, 2016
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  8. Snubnoze

    Snubnoze Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2015 California

    As long as Brett is around, it will clean up autolysis.
     
    #8 Snubnoze, May 7, 2016
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