Getting Cherry Pie Flavors from Brett Lambicus, in Secondary

Have you considered doing this as a 100% brett fermentation? That is a technique I have seen mentioned, apparently as the beer ages it will shift a little toward funk, but still much more cherry pie than if brett is used in combination with a clean strain.

 

Since you asked for us to direct your reading, I would direct you to the 100% brettanomyces chapter of @OldSock's book. He writes:

As a general rule, Brettanomyces strains in primary fermentation produce a softer variation of the same types of flavors as when pitched in combination with brewer's yeast. For example, the classic horsey flavors of B. bruxellensis are muted in primary fermentation, allowing more fruit to come forward. Wyeast's B. lambicus moves from a cherry and funk combination to become so cherry pie-forward that you might be able to pass it off as a fruit beer.
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This is why I think a 100% B. lambicus pitch might give you what you are looking for.

 

Peter, I do not have Michael Tonsmiere’s book but I attended his presentation at the 2014 NHC. My impression is that if you desire funk then adding Brett with Sacch is the way to go. Are you looking for some funk in your beer?

Cheers!

 

I'm brewing an all Brett tomorrow and I have a cherry pie in the fridge...Hmmmm

 

I doubt you'll get cherry unless you go 100% b. Lamb. I actually have a 100% b. Lamb. going and it hit cherry pie around 4 months with a "quad"esque grain bill. Now heading towards leather after 6+. I'm assuming more funk will hit as opposed to cherry.

 

IMHO - Cherry Pie is worth the wait...

 

Maybe you will learn more via reading Michael Tonsmiere’s book but it seems to me that you have some choices here:

· Brew 100% Brett Lambicus to accentuate the cherry pie flavor

· Brew with a combination of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Brett Lambicus to get a combination of cherry pie plus funk

Below is the Wyeast description for

“YEAST STRAIN: 5526 | Brettanomyces lambicus™

This is a wild yeast strain isolated from Belgian lambic beers. It produces a pie cherry-like flavor and sourness along with distinct “Brett” character. A pellicle may form in bottles or casks. To produce the classic Belgian character, this strain works best in conjunction with other yeast and lactic bacteria. It generally requires 3-6 months of aging to fully develop flavor characteristics.”

Cheers!

 

I think cherry from brett is subtle. Can you name a pro beer fermented with brett that you have mistaken for a cherry beer?

You can always add some cherries.

 

The larger the share of the fermentables the Brett ferments, the more esters it will produce. Odds are whatever the "cherry pie" aroma is, an ester is responsible. So If more fruit, less funk (phenol), is your goal, 100% Brett and drinking relatively young (likely 2-8 months) would be the sweet spot. A darker grain bill with some caramel malts seems to accentuate the cherry character.

 

listen to the brewing network "the session" episode with Crooked Stave. Chad Yakobson gives out A LOT of info on fermenting with 100% brett as well as a mix of sacc and brett. In very very basic terms the harder that brett works the more funk it produces. i have a 100% brett lambicus going right now, its at about 1.5 months and the initial cherry pie aroma was very very strong. its starting to subside as its is now developing a cherry/citrusy aroma with a very slight citrus lemon? type flavor towards the back of the mouth.

 

I did a dark strong saison with DuPont yeast and Brett L. Pitched both together in primary. It has definitely noticeable cherry pie flavor. I'd recommend pitching the brett along with your sacc yeast in primary. Also, give the brett something to chew on (looks like you've got that covered with the spelt cereal mash and the crystal).

 

Don't have the book in front of me, but my recollection is that brett takes things the sacc has made (phenols, esters, ...) and converts them to other things that we tend to associate with brett (horse blankets, ...). If you use brett as the primary strain, it doesn't have the precursers (phenols, esters,...) to turn into horse blankets, it just makes it own special phenols and esters.

I probably screwed this up so hopefully @OldSock will fix this.

 

rodenbach

 

I think that's correct. Similar to how using a Weizen yeast in a cider won't give you the banana/clove you would otherwise expect in a beer, if I get the g(r)ist of it