What should I expect from a Brett beer?

The magic of Orval (along with, to a lesser extent, other Brett beers, especially other bottle-conditioned ones) is that it tastes different every time, but what you describe sounds perfectly plausible. I highly doubt you had a "bad bottle." Keep drinking Brett beers and you'll probably acquire a taste for them. Or say, "They're not for me," and save yourself some money.

 

An illegal amount of pine tar

 

There are different strains of Brettanomyces and each strain will create its own unique flavor profile. Also how the Brettanomyces is utilized in the fermentation process, for example added during the primary fermentation vs. at bottling, will have impacts as well.

Orval is primary fermented with brewer’s yeast (Bastogne Ale yeast) and at bottling some Brettanomyces Brux is added. It takes some aging (e.g., 6+ months of bottle aging) before the Brett character is perceived in Orval.

The combination of the Brettanomyces Brux and the process of adding this particular yeast strain during bottling will result in flavors that are typically associated with a barnyard. Descriptors like horse-blanket, hay, sweaty socks, etc. are often used. My wife’s personal ‘favorite’ for my homebrewed beers where I utilize Brettanomyces Brux is “horse piss”.

Beers that are solely brewed using Brettanomyces strains often do not have the funk as described above.

Cheers!

P.S. Below is the description that Wyeast provides for their Brettanomyces Brux strain of 5112:

“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.”

 

Brett fermented cool produces fruity, tropical notes like pineapple along with musty white wine flavors. Minimal funk.
Brett fermented warm produces wet hay, leather, "horse blanket" notes.

I homebrewed with it recently and went through both a cool and a warm fermentation period. The beer has a low level (bot still noticeable) of funk and is more inclined towards the fruit and wine.

 

I should have noted this was Brett Brux from White Labs that I brewed with and I used it as the primary yeast.

 

You brewed using Brett Brux in the primary with no brewer’s yeast?

What was your pitch amount?

Cheers!

 

I made a 2L starter with two test tubes yeast for a 5 gallon batch. Primary was pretty slow - about three weeks. Secondary went about 5 weeks.

 

I just read (for the first time) on Michael Tonsmiere’s blog that even for solely Brett brewed beers there is a possibility of funk developing with aging:

“For 100% Brett the flavors are pretty steady, although sometimes a beer can go from fruity when young slowly towards the more “classic” leather, barnyard, horse blanket etc… as it ages.”

http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2008/06/all-about-brettanomyces.html

Cheers!

 

Excellent. I took some of the batch and added some Lactobacillus to it as well. Almost all of it is sitting in my "cellar" (a fridge at about 50 degrees) and I will let it age for a long time.

Sorry we hijacked the thread into a homebrewing discussion, Das_reh!

 

This sounds very pleasant. Can you list a few beers that would be similar to this? I am very much not a fan of horse blanket, so I avoid Brett beers altogether but could get into what you describe. Maybe I recall an Allagash that is like this, but very little else.

 

Pretty much all of the Evil Twin Brett ipas. Looking back in my notes I really didn't get much funk out of almost all of them; but tons of tropical Brett esters and citrusy hops.

 

I had a glass of Evil Twin Femme Fatale Sudachi this past weekend on draft and that beer had TONS of funk. Having stated that, in the past I had Evil Twin Femme Fatale Blanc De Blanc which was all fruit and no funk.

Both of the above beers were fermented with 100% Brett.

Cheers!

 

The ones that really opened my eyes were St. Bretta (summer) from Crooked Stave and Royal Cache Capricious and Serenity from Wicked Weed.

 

Anchorage Love Buzz, Bitter Monk, Whiteout Wit and many Crooked Stave offerings and Saison-Brett

 

Orval should not be drank at temperatures less than 58º F. for it will taste nasty.

 

I think that you should get your hands on some of crooked staves offerings. Chad uses brett strain exclusively instead of brewers yeast for all of his beers. Some are funky, some are tart, some are fruity, and others are super clean. Crooked staves beers are truly the only ones I have come across that showcase brett in all its forms and highlight what brett can do for a beer.

 

Expect deliciousness if you enjoy Brett. Otherwise you should avoid it. I love it in wild ales and saisons.

 

A good bowel movement the next AM.