I’m gaining confidence by the batch, and would like to try to put something special up to be ready to drink about Christmas time. My wife and I love Belgians, and pretty much anything with Brett in it. I’m picturing something like a dubbel, but drier, maybe with some dark fruit notes, and a bit of a complicated funk.
My thought is to modify a recipe I found elsewhere that purports to be similar to Chimay Red, and pitch some Brett into a long secondary. I have a great place under the stairs in my basement that stays 65 - 68F, so I can put it out of the way and let it work. I have already made the candy syrup (see http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/20-lb-sugar-jar-yeast-nutrient-114837/) and cannot wait to taste it in a beer.
I would appreciate feedback from those with more experience than I have, especially if you see a potential problem that I’ve missed.
5.25 gallon batch
8 lb. Belgian Pilsner
2 lb. Munich (20 L)
0.5 lb. Caramunich
0.5 lb. Special B
1.5 lb. homemade candy syrup
1.5 oz. Willamette (3.2% AA) - first wort hop (original recipe called for Tettnanger, but I have something bordering on a fetish for local hops)
I think most of it looks good. However, I’d use Brett B instead of Brett L. BL is more horsey, like horse poop. This comes from a person who likes beer that smells like horse poop. BB is more cherry pie like and leathery. I’d also use some late kettle hops. Willamette would be fine.
Brett plus those crystal malts will develop a cherry pie flavor although I’m not sure you’ll necessarily hit that flavor profile by Christmas time. My experience is that it can take some time to develop that coveted flavor.
Both of them can produce some hints of cherry pie. Neither of them will make you think you used cherries. Brett L is the more rustic barnyard of the two. I think you would be happier with Brett B for this beer.
Bingo. You might want to think about brewing this as a Christmas 2015 beer. In my limited experience, Brett flavors take at least a year to get to a significant level, and will continue to amplify over time.
For better or worse, this one’s in the jug. I took the suggestions to bump the CaraMunich and switch to Brett. b. I brewed it two weeks ago today, with the final recipe being:
9.5 lb Belgian - Pilsner (58.9%)
3.5 lb Belgian - Munich (21.7%)
1.25 lb German - CaraMunich II (7.8%)
0.625 lb Belgian - Special B (3.9%)
1.25 lb Belgian Candi Sugar - Dark
1 oz. Willamette 60 min
.5oz Delta 60 min
1 oz Willamette 10 min
.5 oz Delta 10 min
Wyeast 1214 primary
Wyeast 5112 (Brett b.) secondary
I increased the recipe volume to 6 gal on brew day, and but had no more Willamette handy, hence the addition of Delta.
OG was 1.073, slightly higher than planned, and today it was at 1.012 when I racked to secondary and pitched the Brett b. I also bottled a six pack of 12oz bottles so I can taste one in a month and then save the others to compare with the Brett version at various checkpoints later on. Right now I’m thinking I’ll bottle around Thanksgiving, maybe drink some then and cellar the others if I don’t get the character I was hoping for.
It was fun to do something for Christmas on a day of sunny, hot summer weather. Being my first Brett beer, first dubbel, and first beer to put away in anticipation of a season 6 months away, it should be a fun experiment. Thanks to all who chimed in with suggestions.
This batch has been in secondary with Brett for almost two months now. This morning I crawled under the stairs with a flashlight to make sure the airlock wasn’t dry and take a peek. I was disappointed that there was no pellicle. Just to verify my understanding: Brett may form a pellicle, but the absence of one is not a reason to worry, correct?
BTW, I bottled a six pack of 12 oz bottles before pitching the Brett and cracked the first one over the weekend. I found it quite to my liking as it was. Next task will be to taste it side-by-side with Chimay sometime around Thanksgiving.
I think it sounds good, with or without the Brett. IMO there is nothing better 'round the holidays than a home brewed monk-style Belgian - I keep doing it every year. Keep us posted !
This one is actually looking good for Christmas, though there are a few things about which I’m confused.
To recap, I brewed this on 29 June, OG of 1.073. I kept it at 66F. On 13 July, it was at 1.012 when bottled 1 gal and racked the rest to secondary and pitched Brett b. I’ve kept my hands out of it since then and just today drew the first sample.
First puzzle is that today the SG is… 1.012. I expected the brett to take it way down. What’s wrong with my thinking.
The cool thing, though, is the difference in taste. The un-bretted version has distinct banana notes, which are almost too much. The brett version, though, is delicious. It’s just the faintest bit sour and has a lovely underlying funk (for a Belgian, is that f’Unque?).
My other question is about the banana in the un-bretted version. Is that just the yeast, or was it the temp, or???
I’m going to go ahead and bottle this, putting some away for next year. I’m pretty satisfied with this but will enjoy seeing how it ages.
Banana is definitely from the Belgian sacc. It’s something many Belgian strains are known for producing. It’s also something that brett will break down and develop into other flavors.
