What to brew with discount Brett B Pack?

[Darwin18]

I was going through the discount yeast bin at the local homebrew supply and came across a pack of Wyeast 5112 - Brettanomyces bruxellensis. It was only $2.50 and was from June 2013 so I picked it up.

So what do I do with it now? I've never made a Brett beer but have judged several and enjoyed them. I'd like to try something 100% Brett to see exactly what that yeast does.

I was leaning towards a Saison, but the temperatures here in NC are going to plummet to the 30 - 40's and I don't a desire to rig up a way to bump the temperatures up in my fermentation freezer. I was thinking perhaps a Belgian blonde?

 

[Darwin18]

42 views and 0 comments??? Booo....BOOOOOOO!!!!!

I've decided to go with this recipe:

http://www.homebrewersassociation.o...-week-100-brettanomyces-belgian-specialty-ale

I'll need to pick up a vial of Brett L, but it sounds like a solid winning recipe. Shouldn't have any problems keeping it around 65.

 

[lawbadger]

It's got a little age on it but shouldn't be bad. If you pitch brett alone in the primary, it tends to act like sacc and will have a cleaner ferment without the funk/sour. Make a starter and give the brett 10-14 days per step up.

I'm in Raleigh so we probably rummaged through the same bin - I grabbed Brett L to add to a secondary of a belgian stout.

 

[Darwin18]

It will be my first time using Brett, and I wanted to try 100% Brett fermented to see how it acted on it's own. I'm excited to give the recipe a shot.

 

[nicklepickles]

doing 100% brett fermentation won't give you the best idea what brett has to offer. It really has to be pitched in secondary for the funky awesomeness to come forth. At least, that seems to be the idea. I haven't tried it yet, but i started my first lambic last weekend, and am planning on racking to secondary and pitching my brett strain this weekend.

 

[sweetcell]

the pack is old, so you have few viable cells in there. to do an all-brett beer, you need a lot of cells. ergo, if you want to do an all-brett beer with that pack you are going to need to grow up the yeast, most likely via several starters (multi-step).

as nickles pointed out, a 100% brett fermentation is very clean. you'll likely get some fruity notes but nothing overwhelming. if you want a classic brett funk, use it in secondary - preferably after a primary yeast that throws a lot of esters, like an abbey/trappist or saison yeast.

 

[jhay_x7]

Was the yeast at room temp? If so, you might be in luck in term of viability of the yeast. Brett does not like to be stored cold although that is how every homebrew shop seems to store it. If you are using the Brett as a secondary yeast, just pitch it in but follow the other posters advice about stepping it up if using as the primary yeast.

 

[Darwin18]

Was the yeast at room temp? If so, you might be in luck in term of viability of the yeast. Brett does not like to be stored cold although that is how every homebrew shop seems to store it. If you are using the Brett as a secondary yeast, just pitch it in but follow the other posters advice about stepping it up if using as the primary yeast.

It was stored in freezer with the hops and other vials/packs of yeast. I've had on the stir plate for a couple days now and I'm seeing sign of fermentation in the starter. From what I've read, I need to pitch at lager-like levels for 100% Brett. I love my stir plate.

 

[sweetcell]

freezer? as in stored below freezing? that's typically bad news. unless a yeast slurry is saturated with glycerin, a lot of cells will die when frozen...

that yeast has had it rough!

 

[Darwin18]

Not freezing, but refrigerator temperatures. It's going to get a bounty of sugars to break down shortly so it's luck is turning around.

 

[Darwin18]

Brewed this one on Saturday, and it went well. I need to adjust my crush because it's too fine, and I'm getting a stuck mash. Fermentation kicked off nicely, and it's gurgling away loudly in my chest freezer at 65F. It stinks to high heaven though! I didn't realize it would throw so much sulfur...