Brett / Black IPA mash pH?

Saturday I’m going to brew a Black IPA which will be fermented with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis Trois - WLP644.

I’ve used the Pale Ale profile in Bru’n Water for my IPA’s, but with this one I’m thinking the Black Bitter profile as the SRM is 39.  I’ve targeted the mash pH at 5.37 rather than my usual 5.4 for an IPA because I don’t want the IBU’s to fight with the Brett character.

Do you agree with my thinking?

If you’re planning a 100% Brett fermentation without and Sacch, then you’re not going to see a lot of Brett character. You only get the funky notes, horse sweat etc when the Brett is stressed by a prior Sacch fermentation. Last time I used Brett B Trois by itself, I got a fairly clean ferment with no funk but lots of pineapple, which that strain is known for when used by itself.

I’m not really sure if 5.37 vs 5.4 for a mash pH will give you a noticeable difference. If you want to keep the harshness of the bitterness down, maybe consider skipping the boil hops and doing a hop stand/whirlpool only.

Brett won’t care about your IBUs.

The mash pH variance you specified is negligible.  The pH of the wort (not the mash) is something you want to adjust for this yeast, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the subject of your concern.  Since this is the only yeast you are using, optimal attenuation and ample cell count is what you need to worry about.

Shoot for a wort pH of 4.5 and a pitch rate of 12x10^6 cells/ml.  Mash as usual and adjust the wort pH with lactic acid for 85% attenuation.

Will you name it “Black Bretty”?

Nice post MB and welcome to the forum…wham ba lam.

Wort pH 4.5 is quite low for an IPA. Just get your mash pH in that 5-5.5 range and the wort will take care of itself.

Your mashing process and water adjustment really shouldn’t change from any other IPA. If you have trouble keeping the mash pH > 5 with dark beers, just steep the dark grain in the kettle or add it before sparging. This also helps cut down on astringency, which is usually unpleasant in both 100% brett beers and black IPAs.

You’re right to consider bitterness. Brett Trois can be highly attenuative, so you might back off the bittering addition from your normal IPA. Think of it like a saison: the dry finish makes a little bitterness go a long way.

Agreed w/ Kinetic on the pH variance. 0.03 pH units isn’t appreciable by yeast or your taste buds. Most brewers/text books will use 0.1 precision (5.1 vs 5.2). My pH strips give a 0.3 range, and that’s fine by me.

Surprised you’re not one of those “CDA” folks…

I could be wrong, but a Black Brett IPA sounds like a recipe for yuck.  A case where more is not necessarily better.  I say this because I once got a Lacto infection in an IPA… and I didn’t like the combination at all, it just didn’t taste good to me.  But I could be wrong.

Brett does not make beer sour. Spread the word.

I’ve had several 100% Brett IPAs that were fantastic (and Brett Trois is usually the strain used). No reason Black IPA would be any different.

That’s what I hear. Supposedly brett solo is cleaner than sac yeast.