Hey guys, I was seeking some help on a beer I just brewed this past weekend (details at the end). I pitched an abbey ale yeast and now was thinking if perhaps I should add some Brett, fruit, and age it in oak chips. I haven’t been able to read up on it and was hoping for some feedback. Has anyone ever done this process with this particular yeast? Would you recommend doing this process?
25 ibu’s
78% 2 row
12% flaked oats
5% Vienna
4% acid
1051 OG
I have done many beers in this fashion over the years, with brett added in secondary as well as used strictly for primary fermentation. It really depends if that is truly the route you want to go. If so, once primary fermentation with your abbey yeast has slowed down (10 or so days), you can rack it to a smaller secondary carboy (typically 5 gallons) and pitch your brett (no starter needed). Strains that work well in this secondary process include Wyeast Brett Lambicus (will give a slight cherry pie aroma), Brett Bruxellensis (typical horsey, farmyard), and Brett Claussenni (tropical fruit, hay, and earthy characteristics).
Be prepared to give this beer anywhere from 4-6 mos to allow the brett characteristics to come through in flavor and aroma. Let your palate be your guide while trying to minimize samples from the carboy. Take your first one at 3-4 mos so you can get an inkling as to how the flavors are changing.
Why do you want to pitch brett?
I think you will get some fairly clashing flavours with brett + fruit + oak given that the abbey ale yeast (safale Abbaye?) will likely give you some banana aroma \ flavour. I think you need to step back and consider what you are aiming for rather than add ingredients and yeast which might result in a confused flavour profile. What style had you intended to brew?
steve
After a few months with brett the banana and other fruit flavors will transform into the expected brett character.
+1 - Most of the really good Brett beers I’ve had use a Belgian strain in primary (Orval, Ommegang Biere de Mars, everyone on the planet’s Brett Saison, etc.)
I have been enjoying a lot of the Brett beers that have been coming out lately. Especially the fruited Brett style beers. Orval was one of the latest style beers that I recently had and definitely wanted to try something like that. Which is why I pitched the Abbey Ale yeast. Than thought about maybe throwing in some peaches into the mix. After some thinking about the beer as a whole I most likely will leave the oak out of it.
Seems to me that Brett changes most everything that it’s combined with, especially over time. If your primary yeast throws banana I wouldn’t necessarily expect it to stay banana. Brett is pretty much notorious for changing primary esters into more Brett like esters. In my opinion Brett + oak + fruit + any Belgian style sacc would be fine. Especially soured with lacto and or pedio
This is simply the Russian River way of making sour beer.