how long for all-brett fermentation

[moti_mo]

I will start my first all-brett (brett C.) fermentation this weekend. How long do you guys typically leave your all-brett fermentations to ensure good attenuation?

I leave my typical sacch. fermentations for 5 weeks without worrying about them and then transfer to keg after checking the gravity to ensure attenuation. Should I expect a similar time frame for the all-brett c.?

Also, I know I should do a large starter for this one, but how large is large? 1 liter 1.040 for a 5 gallon batch? 2 liter?

 

[android]

there's a bunch of good info in this thread about all brett beers. saq is our resident expert in such matters.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/muse-my-second-all-brett-beer-135753/

sounds like you can follow a similar time frame when you go all brett.

 

[dcp27]

5-6 weeks is what i normally do for all brett. I'd go with lager pitching rates

 

[Calder]

Use a high pitching rate.

Use some acid malt.

My all-brett beers are taking about 10 weeks. They are mostly done in 2 to 3 weeks, but after that there is still some slow activity to get the last few points, and it takes a long time to clear.

 

[moti_mo]

She's chugging away in the fermenter. I used a 1.5 L starter for the 1.050 OG wort, but it still took ~36 hours to get started. In contrast, the other 5 gallons that was pitched with Wyeast 3726 Farmhouse, no starter, was going in ~6 hours. Both smell great coming out of the airlock since I used a healthy amount of Falconer's Flight and Styrian Goldings hops.

If it doesn't attenuate well after ~6 weeks or so, I'll probably rack it onto the Farmhouse yeast cake to finish up.

 

[Steelers77]

I'm 8 weeks into an all brett I made with a capped mash and it's down to 1.004. I'm just waiting for the yeast to settle out then I will dry hop it and keg. I have another that's been on raspberries for 8 months (I got lazy). I just racked it off and will get it bottled soon.

 

[moti_mo]

I'm 8 weeks into an all brett I made with a capped mash and it's down to 1.004. I'm just waiting for the yeast to settle out then I will dry hop it and keg. I have another that's been on raspberries for 8 months (I got lazy). I just racked it off and will get it bottled soon.

How does the 8-week all-brett taste at this point? I only have experience secondary-fermenting beers with brett and I gave each ~3 months. Both had great fruity brett esters without a ton of the barnyard funk, which is what I was looking for. I'm not really "looking for" anything with this one, just more of an experiment to see for myself how an all-brett beer progresses.

 

[pohldogg]

I let my last brett c beer go for 8 weeks ferment plus one week dry hop (brett DIPA). First bottles tasted really clean and the hops covered up the brett flavor. 8 weeks later though the beer was hella funky and by the last few bottles there was a strong musty flavor, which I happened to really like.

I was looking for funk so I underpitched with one vial no starter no oxygen. It seems that pitching rates and oxygen can really impact the brett character.

 

[moti_mo]

I let my last brett c beer go for 8 weeks ferment plus one week dry hop (brett DIPA). First bottles tasted really clean and the hops covered up the brett flavor. 8 weeks later though the beer was hella funky and by the last few bottles there was a strong musty flavor, which I happened to really like.

I was looking for funk so I underpitched with one vial no starter no oxygen. It seems that pitching rates and oxygen can really impact the brett character.

I'm also thinking about dry-hopping this one. I used lots of Styrian Goldings and Falconer's Flight late additions, so I'm expecting it to have lots of hop flavor. I'll probably keg it, drink a few pints to see how I like it, and then decide whether or not I want to dry hop.

 

[Steelers77]

I used the ECY Brett blend #9 and it claims that it should be real funky. I'm getting real fruity with a hint of funk at the end.

That being said, I only brewed 3 gallons and gave it a 15 sec shot of O2. The thing took off like a rocket! It was down to 1.012 in 2 days then took another 4-5 weeks to get to 1.004.

I tried it two days ago and it's still fruity, it will be good with the Citra dry hoppping should accentuate the fruitiness.
To be honest I could have been drinking this beer for a couple of weeks now, after one week it tasted great (I actually considered kegging it). I'm sure after the dry hops it will only be better.

 

[moti_mo]

Just taking a gravity sample (and more importantly tasting) my all-Brett C. one tonight, now at 6 weeks in. Tastes great, really clean and fruity. 1.052 to 1.010 in 6 weeks (could've been 1 week, but I never check gravity until at least 4 weeks), and I think its just right to go ahead and keg it.

I know this is becoming much more widely known, but it tastes just like a normal sacch. fermentation with a fruity ale strain. If I didn't know it was brett., I absolutely wouldn't guess it at all. I'm psyched to see how this one tastes once its fizzy.

Its other 5 gallon brother, fermented on the Wyeast 3726 Farmhouse yeast, has been kegged for 2 weeks, and is tasting great. The 3726 yeast attenuated to 1.004 and is super-spicy and dry, so I'm actually glad that this one leveled off around 1.010, has a little more body, and a little more fruit than funk.

 

[nofootbreak]

I just tasted a sample of a beer that used a saison grain bill, and all brett b. Only a one gallon batch, but after three weeks there was noticeable funk to the beer. Excited to see that its come through this early, and will probably just let it sit for two to three more weeks, bottle and then pitch that yeast cake into a bigger batch.

Not sure if its because of the small batch, but if I could end up turning around brett beers in about a month that would be fantastic...