Question about brett

[Hoptimistic]

so i follow the recipe for a saison brett clone
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/saison-brett-255734/

and was having GREAT SUCCESS!!!!:rockin::rockin::rockin:

Until i did what all homebrewers have done at one point when their beer is moving along nicely...... I DID SOMETHING TO IT.

nothing too crazy i just grew another starter from boulevard's saison brett. and everything was going great!!!!.

i was getting a really bretty taste from the samples which were down to 1.027, then one day i came home and the airlock smelled like rhinofarts, similar to cider. fearing autolysis was the cause i racked the beer (which still tasted pretty good but deffinitely different than before) off of the yeast cake.

my question is what should my next step be?

i have the option of repitching the yeast from what ive collected and washed, pitching another brett starter, or letting it age at 1.027 and bottling.

advice?

 

[ICWiener]

I would say leave it alone for now. You can pitch a vial of brett, or dregs from a few of your favorite bett'd beers if you want. Just don't bottle it. 1.027 is rediculously high. Let it sit at a nice warm temp (85F or so) for another four or five weeks. Then take a hydro sample. If it's 1.008 or below, you're good to bottle. If you pitched Wyeast 3724, you'll have to be very patient. That stuff takes forever to finish out.

Relax, don't worry, and don't touch your beer while it's doing its thing.

 

[TNGabe]

Hmmm, I have to say that if your saison was at 1.027 and it had been more than about 48hrs since you pitched, it wasn't really going that well. I'm not just being snarky, but saisons have to be dry and if it takes more than about 4 days to get close to your FG, you've got a stuck or lazy fermentation going. 3724 is notoriously hard to work with.

Just to clarify, you added Boulevard Saison Brett dregs when you pitched 3724 and later added a stepped up pitch from Boulevard dregs? Despite the recipe you followed's suggestions, I'd be very surprised if Boulevard is using brett C. That being said, White Labs Brett C, which is the only readily available strain to homebrewers has a reputation for throwing off some serious off notes which may or may not clear up. It's possible your dreg starter was contaminated.

As to what to do next, waiting is your best bet. I certainly wouldn't add anything else at this point, that's not going to help. If waiting doesn;t improve the beer, dump it.

 

[Hoptimistic]

Hmmm, I have to say that if your saison was at 1.027 and it had been more than about 48hrs since you pitched, it wasn't really going that well. I'm not just being snarky, but saisons have to be dry and if it takes more than about 4 days to get close to your FG, you've got a stuck or lazy fermentation going. 3724 is notoriously hard to work with.

Just to clarify, you added Boulevard Saison Brett dregs when you pitched 3724 and later added a stepped up pitch from Boulevard dregs? Despite the recipe you followed's suggestions, I'd be very surprised if Boulevard is using brett C. That being said, White Labs Brett C, which is the only readily available strain to homebrewers has a reputation for throwing off some serious off notes which may or may not clear up. It's possible your dreg starter was contaminated.


im pretty sure there wasn't contaminated

As to what to do next, waiting is your best bet. I certainly wouldn't add anything else at this point, that's not going to help. If waiting doesn;t improve the beer, dump it.

as of right now there is no yeast cake the beer is on top of. only what may still be in suspension.

I would say leave it alone for now. You can pitch a vial of brett, or dregs from a few of your favorite bett'd beers if you want. Just don't bottle it. 1.027 is rediculously high. Let it sit at a nice warm temp (85F or so) for another four or five weeks. Then take a hydro sample. If it's 1.008 or below, you're good to bottle. If you pitched Wyeast 3724, you'll have to be very patient. That stuff takes forever to finish out.

Relax, don't worry, and don't touch your beer while it's doing its thing.

the weird thing is it doesnt taste bad. its just not as dry as i would like it.

 

[ICWiener]

the weird thing is it doesnt taste bad. its just not as dry as i would like it.

Tasty or not, if you bottle at 1.027, especially with brett in there, you're going to have bottle bombs.

 

[Hoptimistic]

Tasty or not, if you bottle at 1.027, especially with brett in there, you're going to have bottle bombs.

haha yeah make no mistake. the gravity is coming down im just wanting to know what would be th ebest way to solve this issue. ive never had a stuck/lazy fermentation before

 

[TNGabe]

haha yeah make no mistake. the gravity is coming down im just wanting to know what would be th ebest way to solve this issue. ive never had a stuck/lazy fermentation before

Waiting would be your best bet. Brett might take a while, but it will finish the job.

 

[nicklepickles]

Hmmm, I have to say that if your saison was at 1.027 and it had been more than about 48hrs since you pitched, it wasn't really going that well. I'm not just being snarky, but saisons have to be dry and if it takes more than about 4 days to get close to your FG, you've got a stuck or lazy fermentation going. 3724 is notoriously hard to work with.

Just to clarify, you added Boulevard Saison Brett dregs when you pitched 3724 and later added a stepped up pitch from Boulevard dregs? Despite the recipe you followed's suggestions, I'd be very surprised if Boulevard is using brett C. That being said, White Labs Brett C, which is the only readily available strain to homebrewers has a reputation for throwing off some serious off notes which may or may not clear up. It's possible your dreg starter was contaminated.

As to what to do next, waiting is your best bet. I certainly wouldn't add anything else at this point, that's not going to help. If waiting doesn;t improve the beer, dump it.

Off topic, but white labs as like 5 or 6 brett strains readily available. Brett C, brett lambicus, brett brux and more, and at least 3 blended strains with brett in them.

 

[TNGabe]

Off topic, but white labs as like 5 or 6 brett strains readily available. Brett C, brett lambicus, brett brux and more, and at least 3 blended strains with brett in them.

White labs has three. I wasn't clear, Meant only readily available clausenii

 

[spenghali]

From wyeast:

"This strain is notorious for a rapid and vigorous start to fermentation, only to stick around 1.035 S.G. Fermentation will finish, given time and warm temperatures. Warm fermentation temperatures, at least 90°F (32°C), or the use of a secondary strain can accelerate attenuation."

 

[nicklepickles]

White labs has three. I wasn't clear, Meant only readily available clausenii

Theres actually 4 from white labs, the three (lambicus, clausenii, bruxellensis), plus a platinum strain, bruxellensis trois.

 

[nicklepickles]

White labs has three. I wasn't clear, Meant only readily available clausenii

Also the others are readily available. My lhbs as all 4 pure strains in stock right now...

 

[TNGabe]

Theres actually 4 from white labs, the three (lambicus, clausenii, bruxellensis), plus a platinum strain, bruxellensis trois.

ooh, sick burn. I don't consider seasonal strains readily available, but obsiously you know way more about brett than i do.

 

[TNGabe]

Theres actually 4 from white labs, the three (lambicus, clausenii, bruxellensis), plus a platinum strain, bruxellensis trois.

white labs has the only c strain that's easy to get. that's all I was trying to say. I bow before your superior knowledge of brettanomyces wild brewing god nicklepickles. my most sincere apologies.

 

[nicklepickles]

white labs has the only c strain that's easy to get. that's all I was trying to say. I bow before your superior knowledge of brettanomyces wild brewing god nicklepickles. my most sincere apologies.

Lol i was jut confused by your wording of readily available, not trying to show off or anything

 

[TomRep]

Not to hijack, but I have a golden strong that is stuck at 1.051. I haven't tried anything yet to move it along bsides rouse the yeast. I have a couple other ideas, but if nothing works, I was thinking of throwing brett in it. anyone have a particular favorite brett strain that would work good for a funky golden strong?

 

[TNGabe]

Lol i was jut confused by your wording of readily available, not trying to show off or anything

Me no english good here lately. I think it's trying to post sober...I'll fix that soon.

 

[ICWiener]

anyone have a particular favorite brett strain that would work good for a funky golden strong?

Depends on what character you're looking for. You want more of a cherry pie flavor? Go for Brett L. More funk? Brett B.

I love WLP645 Brett C. because after a while it starts to go from funky to sour. Even without bugs. It's an interesting strain.

 

[Hoptimistic]

From wyeast:

"This strain is notorious for a rapid and vigorous start to fermentation, only to stick around 1.035 S.G. Fermentation will finish, given time and warm temperatures. Warm fermentation temperatures, at least 90°F (32°C), or the use of a secondary strain can accelerate attenuation."

so what your saying is I need to set the carboy in some hot water for a month or so? I've got my house at 70* and have fifteen gallons of other product relying on that temp.

 

[spenghali]

Sorry for the late reply, hopefully your beer has attenuated by now. You don;t necessarily need the high temps but it would help. Given enough time with your house at 70F, it should finish, just swirl your fermentor ever once in a while to rouse the yeast.