Brettanomyces Fermentation Photos

Like some craft beer aficionados, I have been interested in sour beers. They are beers that are fermented with wild yeasts such as Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Brettanomyces. Several beer styles that use such yeast, like the Lambic beers, were developed in Belgium. Today, the US is seeing a growing interest in such beers and the old-fashioned fermenting processes. 

I continually see beer news stories with images of used whiskey and wine barrels being filled with beer or stacked and lining the walls of concrete cellars. In most cases, the beer is getting the souring and aging treatment. Here are some articles from well-known new sources regarding the interest in sour beers:

The Wall Street Journal - The Sour and the Glory
The New York Times - Brews as Complex as Wine
The New York Times - Sour Beer is Risky Business, Starting with the Name
The New York Times - Brettanomyces, a Funky Yeast, Makes Flavorful Beers *

The Brettanomyces yeast strains are a new frontier for brewers . Brettanomyces is capable of bringing many different flavors to beer, but the knowledge base for this yeast is still young and growing. Chad Yacobsen at Crooked Stave is at the forefront of this exploration with his Brettanomyces Project. It’s an exciting time.

Just after transfer to 5 gallon glass carboy. The foam is StarSan Sanitizer ("Don't fear the foam")

WLP650

Just after pitching yeast.

A couple days later. Weird, aah? A pellicle forms to protect the beer from oxygen.

From above.

Like an alien landscape.

The domes get bigger.

The pellicle thickens.

Kingmaker Saison

I named this beer “Kingmaker” after the song of the same name by Big Big Train on their album Far Skies, Deep Time. I was listening to the album on brew day and I liked the name.

The plan for this beer is to use the Wyeast French Saison yeast for the primary fermentation, transfer the beer to a secondary glass carboy and pitch Brettanomyces B. The beer will be in secondary for four to six months. Currently, the beer is a month into secondary fermentation and I’ll make another post about the Brett B fermentation.  

3711 French Saison Yeeast

Brew Name: Kingmaker Saison
Brew Date: 2012-11-21
Batch Number: B12

Recipe Specifics
Batch Size (gal): 5.5
Total Grain (lbs): 13.75
OG: 1.062
Wort Boil Time: 90 min.

Rolling Boil

Grain
11.5 lbs Pilsner
1.5 lbs Flaked Oats
.75 Crystal 60

US Hops - Palisades, Chinook, US Saaz

Hops
.5 oz Palisades @ 60 min
.5 oz Palisades @ 20 min
1 oz Chinook @ 15 min
1 oz US Saaz @ 10 min

Extras
5 ml Lactic Acid
4 grams Epsom Salt
2 grams Calcium Chloride
2 grams Baking Soda
1/2 tab Whirlfloc @ 15 min
1/2 tsp Yeast Nutrient @ 15 min

Yeast
3711 French Saison (in primary)
WLP650 Brettanomyces Brux (in secondary)

Hoppy Kreusan

Mash Schedule
Sacch rest 60 min @ 149 F
15 min @ 149
15 min @ 160

Carboy and Blow Off Tube

Notes

- Inspired by "Saison of Zen," page 26 of Zymurgy, vol 35, no 6, Nov/Dec 2012.
- Would have liked another gallon of starter wort
- To secondary on 2012-12-09 with Brett B.