Sources include, but are not limited to:
Lactic Acid
Acetic Acid
Bugs
General Bug info
Brettanomyces - "British brewing industry fungus"
General Factoids
(CY) Brett is super-attentuative - they consume dextrin, unmeasurable carbohydrates, proteins, previously produced esters, compounds creating hop aroma AND at the end, alcohol.
(CY) They require some concentration of sugar to survive so they will never ferment out ALL sugars
(WB) Traditional Fermentation (optimal growth) time/temp: 3-8 months@ 40-95F
(CY) Alcohol Tolerance - 18%
(CY) reproduction ends below 3.4ph
(CY) acetic acid producers under highly aerobatic conditions only
Pellicle - thick, lumpy white coating. Utilizing oxygen, chains of brett form and float to protect the beer from oxygen and acetobacter. Leave intact
Brett Bruxellensis
The species of primary importance to the wild brewer is B. bruxellensis.
(CY) Brett brux is a general species, but there are many strains....think Sac has many strains, Brett Brux is the same as Sac but with twice the variations. There is no hard data on how many strains there are but there could be hundreds.
“Wild” character, including the classic “horsy” and “cherry pie” character. B. bruxellensis often refers to a strain obtained within Brussels,
Brett Lambicus
Brett Anomalus
Brett Claussenui
Pediococcus
General Factoids
ferments glucose to lactic but does NOT produce CO2
good for beers requiring large amounts of lactic - produces slowly but effectively
alcohol tolerance at 8% Traditional fermentation (optimal growth) - 100 days@ 45-140F
does little to no work in presence of oxygen
grows very slowly in all conditions
Ropy, slime like, oily layer on top of beer is made up of carbohydrates, acids and proteins. They are harmless and will be digested with time by the byproducts of growing brettanomyces - just give the beer more time. Never use without Brett
Lactobacillus
produces lactic acid and CO2
found on skins of raw fruit
alcohol tolerance at 8%
(WB) Traditional fermentation time (optimal growth) : 4 days@ 60-140F
(MF) Will be restrained above 8 IBUs
will produce without oxygen but prefers reduced levels
Acid production is proportional to temperature with max occurring at 98 ("the human intestine temp")
Acid production is greatest during primary fermentation and subdued during refermentation.
Hop acids (>8) and alcohol (>8) reduce acid production (these beers should be less than 5ibu disregarding Chad's "perception" idea...its the hop acids not actual IBU number that effects acid production.)
ceases production below 3.8ph
Recipe Central
General Factoids
Hops acids will inhibit bacterial growth, in sours less then 8 - 10IBU optimal, but above is ok, yet growth will just be less extensive.
(WB) In a turbid mash, tannins extracted during the boiling of the mash will be worked out during fermentation of wild brews.
(CY) Aroma and funk in short term - time proportional to acidity (sour)
(CY) the malt used likely effects the Brett's flavor contribution (dark vs light)
(CY) In a highly phenolic wort {i think they meant fermented beer here}, Brett will reduce the (banana) phenolics and cause medicinal characteristics.
Base Malts
(WB) Lambic brewers use Pilsener malt for its availability, price, neutral flavor, and low resulting color.
(WB) Pale two-row malted barley may compose 60 to 70% of the grist for modern lambic beers
Six-row malted barley:
(WB) Six-row contains a greater amount of diastatic power and thicker husk than two-row. Some brewers consider this advantageous, as unmalted wheat comprises the remainder of the lambic grist, which is both more difficult to lauter and contains no enzymes of its own.
(WB) A higher protein content and the potential for a phenolic taste due to polyphenols in the husk make six-row malted barley problematic in high concentrations.”
Specialty Malt
(CY) Vienna and Munich work well in Brett beers because their flavor contributions will balance Brett's less complex flavor characteristics.
(CY) Brett will add bready aroma and/or flavor, so might need to decrease biscuity and bready malts in Brett beers.
Dark Malts
(CY) Avoid roasted malts, the astringency does not go well with brett character. More specifically you get an unpleasant perception of acridness. So this acrid roasty character is taken by the Brettanomyces and basically doubles it.
(CY) Flavor perception - Use de-bittered malt like Carafa II
(CY) Color perception - Small amounts chocolate
(CY) % Grist - Chad used less than 6% dark malts in BBWA Blue
(CY) Carafa II -The brett is really nice at bringing out some of the chocolate notes in that malt, so you get this creamy/chocolate characteristic in addition to getting a really subtle fruity, dry, dark cherry character. Like what youd get in special B thats aged, but the brett pulls this character out of the Carafa II right away.
Unmalted wheat (and to some lesser extent malted wheat):
(CY) Create stability during the aging process. Why? The wheat adds proteins which are consumed later in the aging process preserving perceived mouthfeel
(CY) The beer haze created by the wheat are starches/proteins which are consumed by bacteria later in fermentation, essentially nurturing the yeast/bacteria through longer fermentations. (this haze can clear in 8-12 months depending on the bugs/conditions)
Maize
Aged Hops
(WB) as hops age in ambient temps and exposed to oxygen they oxidize and the result is a reduction in bittering AND an increased level of protection from lactic acid producing bacteria
(WB) The oxidation process may also be accelerated, by baking the hops at a low heat—no greater than 200° F (93° C)—until they begin to turn brown.
Hops
(CY) A few typical examples: Colombus, Amarillo, or Columbus and Simcoe. I think Brett can work with a lot of hops. The important thing is not having a lot of astringency. When I’m thinking about what I might use for bittering…it’s low cohumulone hops that have a softer more delicate bitterness and are more just for flavor.
(CY) Brett puts of fruity notes and the fruity character hops tend to play well here.
(CY) Do late hop additions only to avoid astringency found in "bittering additions" - remember, its about perception.
(CY) 100% brett - 18ish IBUs...now he uses all his hops at knockout resulting in 0 IBUs but you are getting perceived hop flavor and aroma....this is his approach to hops in brett beers...not bitter, just flavor and aroma - perception.
Sour beers - used in very very small amounts, 5 - 10 (max) IBUs....used to stop unwanted bacteria
(CY) In highly hopped beers you may not get brett character for at least 2 months
Hops recap by Chad Yakobson on "100% Brett, dark and hoppy beer"
I’d say not to go over the top and shoot for a 6-7 % beer. Realize that in shooting for that it’s going to attenuate 90% over time. You should get the fermentation in 2 weeks. So I would wait 2 weeks until dry hopping. I like to dry hop, let that sit for a week, then dry hop again letting that sit for a week. After those 4 weeks the beer should be ready to keg and bottle. You are waiting longer to dry hop and getting quite a dry beer.
In your mashing profile make sure you are mashing for a good beer. Nothing low and nothing high: 150-152F, mashing out at 170F, not sparging too hot and you’ll have a clean beer through fermentation.
A lot of late hops. The late hops really accentuate the beer…and again more dry hopping. Don’t be afraid to use a decent amount of hops. We are using anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds per barrel. In the black IPA I went a little lighter using 2 pounds per barrel so for homebrewers we are looking at half a pound to 1 pound per carboy. A 1/3rd of that for late hopping and 2/3rd for dry hopping, it’s something you can play around with even doing half in late and half in dry hopping. Both those should work pretty well.
Fruit
A. Sugar: all sugar will be consumed given enough time
B. Acidity: you want at least some acidity or your just getting more sugar and no fruit
character assuming the sugars will all be eaten
C. Acid Type: If malic acid present a secondary fermentation called malolartic fermentation
will occur. Other types of acid: Citric
D. Tannins: tannins express as "dryness" in finished brew
(WB) Skins must be broken (or frozen) for sacch to be able to work on the fruit
(WB) Bacteria/Wild Yeasts will eat the fruit in its entirety in a natural state (no need to break skins) leaving the fruit unrecognizable post fermentation.
Stones (Pits) - if included should be included in fermentation. Flavors exhibited are vanilla and almond
(CY) How much? Start from 2lbs/G is standard for commercial brewers.
cold side raw fruit additions will add lactobacillius
(MF) The acid of the beer really helps to make the fruitiness pop in a way that most "clean" fruit beers do not. The actual amount of fruit you need will depend on the variety of fruit, quality/freshness, base beer, and amount of fruit flavor you are aiming for. In general .5 lbs per gallon is the low end (good for assertive fruits like raspberry), and 2.5 lbs/gal is the high end for more subtle fruits, or if you have a bigger/darker base beer.
(WB) Fruit meant to be fermented by wild yeasts have "minimally a moderate level of acidity with a balance of sweetness," - this is why there are so few fruits that are common to mass beer production in wild brews
(WB) common examples/characteristics: Cherries, Raspberries, Grape, Black Currant, Peach, Apricots, Strawberries (subtle character and no color)
Building Body
(CY) brett beers will be inherently thin as they eat through the dextrins during aging.
(CY) If you want body you have to add the body (the "perception of body") with proteins, aka grist (8% grist), not through dextrins = mash temp = residual sugar, b/c brett will eat through dextrins first. Adding proteins will make the perceived mouthfeel of the beer last longer in the aging process. The brett will eat the proteins eventually, therefore with age perceived body will decrease. In conclusion, adding body through proteins will improve stability of mouthfeel through time, but does not solidify it.
(CY) Ingredients to build body: rye, flaked oats, golden naked oats, spelt, wheat, etc...NOT the mash temp.(Interpolating flaked rye and flaked oats work within this theory)
(CY) Sidenote: Sac adds "glycerol which is a compound produced in fermentation which adds the mouthfeel...Brett does not produce this compound)
Mash Profiles
(VC) Russian River (barrel aging) - use highest mash temps possible without cooking husks - 160-168 - Consider using no higher than 165 to account for inaccuracy of homebrew thermometer.
(CY) Crooked Stave (short fermentations) - mash 150 - 152
(CY) A sour wort gives Brettanomyces better attenuation and a more complex, horsey, flavor (with less Brett pineapple and fruit contributions) in a Brett-only fermentation. Do not oxygenate. Don't allow mash to drop below 120 F until pH is below 4.5 to decrease risk of spoilage.
Fermentation
General Factoids
Types: Inoculated, spontaneous, mixed
Inoculation process idea - use prior funcky beers (keep a beer and toss into new barrel, wort or secondary)
If you want to get all your wild yeast from fruit you want the freshest uncleaned fruit
You can always consider adding dregs to obtain new strains of brett
(CY) Yeast Nutrients - not required in a brett beer or starter. The wort has the required nutrients.
Pre-Starter Info: Brett Slurry
(CY) DO NOT store on plates/slants or in fridge. Store in liquid culture at room temperature
(MF) Feed the slurry with boiled last runnings from subsequent mashed every few months - decanting old "starter wort" and adding new. Nutrients as well.
Starter
(CY) ALWAYS make a starter for 100% wild brett fermentation.
Even if you have the cell count in slurry, pitch cell count of slurry into a starter to grow it up 3x to hit required pitch rate over the standard 7 - 8 day dioxic cycle.
Use if stir plate is fine.
DO NOT just pitch unstarted slurry, even if you have the proper count.
(CY) Starter wort gravity - 1048
(CY) 7 - 8 days in perfect conditions
(CY) Temp - 80
Oxygen - not needed
(CY) Dioxic growth curve: describes phases of growth as it moves through different sugars
1. Growth phase 1: 24- 48ish then
2. Lag phase for around 12-24h
3. Another growth phase and another lag phase
4. A third growth phase
Result: at 7 - 8 days your at solid growth numbers, it may keep increasing, but at lower rates...At this point it is ready to be pitched.
Aeration
Pitching Temp
General Process
1.Pitch/Starter - 2-3x sac (but he also mentions stressing the brett with normal ale pitches, or pitching between ale and lager, so it seems each will work but of course there will be differences, nothing concrete here without experience.)
2. works wort down to a "typical" gravity after 1-2 weeks.
3. follow temp recommendations from WLP - higher temps in the range promote
faster fermentations, lower promote greater character development.
4. Brett works only fermented sugars, like sach, when they are a solo act, but he does
mention that there is little info on the long term effects of this profile
5. Brett will not have any acidifying characteristics as a primary fermenter. To add acid you
can simply add acidulated malt to the grist or take a portion of the first runnings and add lacto and/or pedio, then add that solution back to finished beer
6. When to bottle: 100% brett is about 6 weeks ... considering gravity and of course flavor if flavor is off it may need additional aging in barrels, with fruit, etc or perhaps it needs to go into a different project, be blended, etc.
1. Sach only for primary
2. Brett immediately after primary
3. Pedio (and/or Lacto) after 6-8 months
(Sidenote: do not add bacteria first then sac as bacteria will likely reduce ph to the point the sac will not work)
(WB) Do not secondary Brett brews, keep them on the yeast (brett food for later; increases their efficiency)
(WB) You can take oak chips and soak them in beer then expose them to the air or infected beer then pitch them (or just pitch the infected beer) to increase bug count if aging process is slower than required/anticipated.
(MF)The biggest impact the primary yeast will have on the finished beer is the attenuation level (low attenuating strains will leave more sugars for the other microbes leading to beers with more sourness and funk).
(MF) I have not gotten enough sourness by doing a clean fermentation followed by microbes in secondary. This seems to work in barrels where the bugs are receiving some oxygen through the wood, but in a carboy the resulting beer generally lacks the sour assault that I crave. Adding microbes after primary fermentation is a fine idea if you just want some funk because Brett seems to be able to produce esters without a lot of gravity change.
Flocculation
(CY) (Background) the floccing aspect of sac is based on sugar outside vs inside Sac cells (osmotic pressure). Based on this osmotic pressure the cell will produce mano-proteins. The manoproteins lock together like large puzzle pieces forming clumps of sac resulting in flocculation. Brett does not seem to have this enzyme therefore this process does not occur. Result, we must create/force flocculation
(CY) How to get Brett to floc
1. Longer cold crash time (35-40 degrees for 1-2 weeks)
2. Pressure: after bottling give them a week (there seems to be another minor fermentation in the bottle
Repitching
(CY) Treat it just like Sac regarding repitching, just do it, of course, keeping in mind the increased pitching rate based on cells/ml required and cells/ml in slurry
(CY) Repitching of Rosalare - each repitch you get more lacto and less sach resulting in an ever more lactic beer until unpalatable
(MF) You can and should repitch yeast cakes from sour beers. Each time you repitch you will get more funk and sourness because the bacteria will grow faster than the yeast.
Conditioning/Bottling, etc
Bottle Conditioning with Bugs
(AB) the process is slower than sac's standard 2 weeks - how long? Anchorage Brewing says, 3 - 4 weeks. To condition a bottle. So, in conclusion it seems you get .5 plato and 2.5L in first month.
(AB) .5P = .002pts = 2.5L
In general and considering brett/lacto/pedio, the less oxygen the better.
(VC) General rule, dont cork above 1.010 {even better, 1.008}. Then look at residual sugar and be sure its not higher than 2 plato and expect the beer to come down to .5 to 1 {which would be 5 - 7.5L C2 !!! Far too high} ... Other sources say to not cork above 1 plato. Conclusion here is to know how long you are going to let it in the bottle, shorter time you can bottle higher, longer time you have to let the brett work the gravity down considering, in the "best/worst" case the beer will go to .5 with brett and 0 with pedio.
For bottle conditioning with sugar expect half the carb off dextrose you'd get with sac. Ex: standard 3.5 oz/5 gallon to 2.2 L will now be 7oz to get same carb from brett...but be aware that if you did a mixed fermentation and didnt pasteurize the beer your going to get bottle bombs from sac working on the sugar faster.
Lacto and Brett create CO2, pedio does not. Therefore you CANNOT condition with pedio only.
If conditioning with lacto/pedio be aware they will not work above 8% alcohol so you will get no conditioning or souring
Blending
Aging
Fruit beers are not meant to be aged. The fruit characteristics will fade with time.
The acid some fruit add a different character to the sourness since they are either malic or citric, both of which are a bit sharper than the lactic acid produced by the microbes in beer (malolactic bacteria will convert malic to lactic acid, so which acid the fruit contains is something to consider if you do not like the acid character of a fruited sour beer).
(MF) if you think the bug are not in great enough numbers you can repitch healthy bugs to help it along, although patince is usually the best way to go
8% and greater ABV recommended for longer aging of 100% brett, but lacto and pedio will give up that high
Aging in fermentors, consider that autolyzed yeast give off amino acids brett/lacto will feed on, so keep those brews cool or lactobacillus will start up. Some is good for extended brett health.
- Fat Tires brewer states you should pull off a brett/lacto/pedio cake for secondary, and in fact, they get the best results from filtering prior to barrel aging. I find this to be a great time to take an initial tasting.
(MF) Oak cubes/chips – Cubes/beans are your best bet because they take longer to give up their flavor due to their lower surface area. Around an ounce of cubes is a good place to start for a mild oak flavor. I boil them for about 10 minutes to removes some of the harsh fresh oak flavors that are usually stripped out by whatever is in the barrel before the beer. Sour beer can be pretty delicate and thin and it can be easily overwhelmed by harsh tannins or oak flavors. You can always add more after a few months if you want more oak character.
Personal conclusion - it seems 6 to 8% is wheelhouse for sours as the microbes can work, balanced with ability to build in perceived mouthfeel and high enough alcohol to protect the beer in the aging process.
(MF) Better Bottle (his number 1 suggestion as glass lets in less O@ you run the risk of breaking it and losing year old sour glory)- What I use because they don't have the risk of breaking that glass carboys do. I also like the wider opening for getting fruit or hops in/out. They may let a negligible amount of oxygen in, but opening the stopper once will let more in than months of aging.
Cellaring
(WB) stack beers right side up
(WB) minor consideration is the beers near the floor will be cooler than the beers near the top of any given cellar
(WB) ideal temperature range:; 50-55 with the least variation possible
Cleaning/Sanitizing
(CY) It is a yeast and dies like a yeast, it can be cleaned and killed. He says using stainless or glass (non-porous) of wild and non-wild brews is ok.
Porous materials (syphons, hoses, plastics) are harder to sanitize thoroughly and are more prone to remaining contaminated.
(CY) It will die above 100*C
(MF) There is no reason to segregate your fermenters into different areas during fermentation/aging.
Style Info
Flanders
(WB) The grist of Flanders red and brown beers are composed of 80 to 100% malted barley. The malt does not contribute to the body of a lambic, while the Flanders beers may exhibit a smooth, malty palate.
(WB) Flanders brewers may use medium-kilned malts such as Vienna and, to a lesser extent, Munich. For color and fruit, Special “B” is also commonly used in moderate quantities. Aromatic malt will add both color and malt aroma. A specific moderately kilned malt from Weyerman Specialty Malts known as Carahell will contribute to both body and head retention.
Lambic
Commercial Examples
Festina Lente (dogfish) - 7% - pale beer, fermented, then aged three months on bretted oak with unpasteurized stone-in peaches -
Russian River - Temptation - 8.5% - Belgian Golden ale fermented then put in french oak bretted - chard barrels
Russian River - Supplication - 6% - amber - pinot barrels with cherries and "several bugs"
Russian River - Sanctification - 6.5% - stainless steel - Belgian Blond with a full fermentation with 3 brett strains
Crooked Stave Golden Sour Process: result is a fruity upfront with the sour background
1. 100% brett fermentation
2. Intro Lacto/pedio as "secondary fermentation" into barrels
Anchorge Brewing - start with fav Belgian-style recipe. Let it ferment out in the carboy, transfer to another carboy, add a couple smack packs of Brett, and just let it sit for 6-8 months. Don't disturb the pellicle that will grow on the top of the beer, that's what protects the beer from oxidation during the aging process. It looks like mold on the top of the beer if you have never seen one before, it's a good thing, so don't dump it! After the 6-8 months, transfer it off the pellicle and bottle condition with a Belgian or wine yeast culture. Give it 3-4 weeks in the bottle and then enjoy. I would leave some out warm for another 3 months and see how it develops.
MadFermentationist - Pretty much any well made base beer can serve as the foundation of a sour beer. The only beers to avoid souring are those that are aggressively bitter/roasty/spiced because these flavors will be exaggerated by the low finishing gravity of a sour beer.
----------------------- BN Crooked Stave Chad Yakobson Interview Notes ----------
thebrettanomycesproject.com
"Everything in beer is about perception, it's about building percepton."
Why Brett? Primary is normally with Sac - aroma is Brett and acidity is Brett
Wild Wild Brett Yellow: honey, tumeric, brett and spices
- 100% brett beer
- Aroma and funk in short term - time proportional to acidity (sour)
- had cold side fruits which added the lacto
--- Brett brux is a general species, but there are many strains....think Sac has many strains, Brett Brux is the same as Sac but with twice the variations.
- Treat it just like Sac regarding repitching, just do it, of course, keeping in mind the increased pitching rate based on cells/ml required and cells/ml in slurry
- He believes the malt used effects the Brett's flavor contribution(dark vs light)
- Building Body:
brett beers will be inherently thin as they eat through the dextrins during aging.
If you want body you have to add the body (the "perception of body") with proteins, aka grist (8% grist), not through dextrins = mash temp = residual sugar, b/c brett will eat through dextrins first and the perceived mouthfeel of the beer will last longer in the aging process...?will the brett eat the proteins eventually..therefore with age perceved body will decrease...i thnk so...this adjustment "improves stability of mouthfeel through time, not solidifies it..only time would tell...hahaha?
Ingredients to build body: rye, flaked oats, golden naked oats, spelt etc...NOT the mash temp..
(Sidenote: Sac adds "glycerol which is a compound produced in fermentation which adds the mouthfeel...Brett does not produce this compound)
-Brett and floc and process:
1. based on sugar outside vs inside Sac cells (osmotic pressure) the cell will produce mano-proteins
2. The manoproteins lock together like large puzzle pieces forming clumps of sac resulting in flocculation.
1. Longer cold crash time (35-40 for 1-2 weeks)
2. Pressure: after bottling give them a week (there seems to be another minor fermentation in the bottle
- Pitching
- Yeast Nutrients - not required in a brett beer or starter. The wort has the required nutrients.
- Starter wort gravity - 1048
- Brett Propogation (ref: thebrettanomycesproject.com)
1. Growth phase 1: 24- 48ish then
2. Lag phase for around 12-24h
3. Another growth phase and another lag phase
4. A third growth phase
Result: at 7 - 8 days your at solid growth numbers, it may keep increaseing, but at lower rates...At this point it is ready to be pitched.
- What brett eats: Sugars, unmeasurable carbohydrates, proteins, previously produced esters, compounds creating hop aroma AND at the end, alcohol.
- Brett Slurry
DO NOT store on plates/slants or in fridge
Store in lliquid culture at room temperature
Interpralation: Take slurry and pitch appropriate cell count to acheive pitch rate with 3x rowth accounting for that growth over the 7 - 8 day stater cyce listed above. This way you are taking active slurry and building it up as opposed to just pitching a proper count of "unstarted brett"
- Cleaning/Sanitizing - it is a yeast and dies like a yeast, it can be clqeaned and killed. He says using fermentors of wild and non-wild brews is ok.
- 100% Brett fermentation process/profile (there)
- Priming bottles wth brett for bottle conditioning - treat it like sac - look at residual sugar and be sure its not higher than 2 plato and the beer comes down to .5 to 1 (1.05 to 1 ... co2:alcohol)
Crooked Stave Golden Sour Process: result is a fruity upfront with the sour background
1. 100% brett fermentation
2. Intro Lacto/pedio as "secondary fermentation" into barrels
Innoculating - using prior beers (keep a beer and toss into new batch)
When to bottle: 100% brett s about 6 weeks ... considering gravity and of course flavor ... if flavor is off it may need additional aging in barrels, with fruit, etc or perhaps it needs to g into a different project.
Hops:
Sour - used in very very small amounts, 5 IBUs....used to stopunwanted bacteria
100% brett - 18ish IBUs...now he uses all his hops at knockout and thereofre your getting 0 IBUs but you are getting perceived hop flavor and aroma....this is his approah to hops in brett beers...not bitter, just flavor and aroma - perception.
In highly hopped beers you may not get brett character for at least 2 month
