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Author Topic: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil  (Read 5729 times)

Offline ukolowiczd

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Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« on: January 03, 2012, 05:02:35 pm »
I made one other all Brett lamb. beer and it was great worked down from 1.063 to 1.010 in two weeks. This time though it's only come down to 1.026 from 1.050. I did use a starter and added 2 lbs of accidulated malt to the mash for acid.

My big question though is not only the lag of FG, I'm just going to let it sit another week or so, but the taste. It is definitely sour but the best taste descriptor is olive or olive oil. Is this a defect? Is it infected? Anyone have any experience with this?

I know these beers are supposed to change significantly but just want to know if I infected it somehow.

Offline hoser

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2012, 08:56:39 pm »
It could be your beer is just "sick', which sometimes happens with Brett or sour beer fermentations?  I would give the beer some more time to age and condition

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2012, 10:47:34 pm »
If it's straight brett it shouldn't be sick.  And sick usually refers to a viscousness to the wort, like it's slimy.

Is it olives or olive oil?  Is it briny?

In either case, I agree with hoser, give it time and see what happens.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline pyrite

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2012, 11:12:44 pm »
Any significant differences from the first batch to this batch?  All the times I've worked with WLP653 and never as the primary yeast, only secondary it has taken months at 70F to reach low gravity. 
If you don't get in over your head, how are you ever going to know how tall you are.

Offline ukolowiczd

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2012, 01:48:13 pm »
Any significant differences from the first batch to this batch?  All the times I've worked with WLP653 and never as the primary yeast, only secondary it has taken months at 70F to reach low gravity. 

Definite differences. My first batch was unbelievably subtle. It took about 4 weeks to get any hints of sourness. This one is right out of the gate. I'd definitely say it's more olive oil than olive. I like the recommendations so far - time/patience. It is still bubbling away, so I'll just check it every week until it seems okay.

Offline pyrite

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2012, 02:30:00 pm »
I know this is off topic, but how does an all brett Lambic taste like compared to a beer that is post fermented with brett lambic.?. Did you add the 2 lbs of accidulated malt to the mash to bring the pH down so that the lambic cells could work better.
If you don't get in over your head, how are you ever going to know how tall you are.

Offline ukolowiczd

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2012, 02:51:12 pm »
I know this is off topic, but how does an all brett Lambic taste like compared to a beer that is post fermented with brett lambic.?. Did you add the 2 lbs of accidulated malt to the mash to bring the pH down so that the lambic cells could work better.

I have very little experience with sour/lambic beers but I know my wife likes them so I'm trying. I had this great all Brett beer called "Wild Child" at the Alchemist in Waterbury, VT and it was so crazy. It had no fruit in it but tasted like cherries and strawberries. It was very cloudy red and wickedly sour yet with a sweet taste in there somewhere. The sour beers that are first fermented with belgian yeast like Petrus, Rodenbach and Liefmans are much more sophisticated with a very solid malt backbone. But I preferred the "American all Brett" beer b/c it seemed to have more character. I did add the accidulated malt b/c I read that the Brett prefers lower pH. 

Offline johnnyb

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2012, 08:52:48 pm »
I had this great all Brett beer called "Wild Child" at the Alchemist in Waterbury, VT and it was so crazy. It had no fruit in it but tasted like cherries and strawberries. It was very cloudy red and wickedly sour yet with a sweet taste in there somewhere.

I'm so bummed out The Alchemist is not going to reopen after getting destroyed in Hurricane Irene.  :'(

Offline ukolowiczd

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2012, 09:32:13 am »
I had this great all Brett beer called "Wild Child" at the Alchemist in Waterbury, VT and it was so crazy. It had no fruit in it but tasted like cherries and strawberries. It was very cloudy red and wickedly sour yet with a sweet taste in there somewhere.

I'm so bummed out The Alchemist is not going to reopen after getting destroyed in Hurricane Irene.  :'(

Well at least they're still making great beer and their business didn't get destroyed too. That cannery is pumping out Heady Topper IPA like no tomorrow. Hoping that the new place "Prohibition Pig" will be an acceptable substitute. Also the Alchemist just came out with a "Browner than Black IPA" with Stone and Nikesa(?) breweries. Haven't had it but looks good.

Offline ukolowiczd

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2012, 04:02:49 pm »
Ok well after week 3 I am feeling a lot better. The gravity came down another 10 points in one week (1.016) and the olive oil taste is gone. I still need to get it down to at least 1.010 before I rack it but it is still bubbling. It is most definitely sour with fruit hints. Thanks everyone for stressing patience and time. I'll leave it in the primary for another week, maybe even another month and then rack it over some raspberries. Whew!

Offline pyrite

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2012, 04:29:15 pm »
What temp are you fermenting at?  I would think for brett it would be about 70F. You got me curious into trying an all brett fermentation. I want to try that new WLP644 Brettanomyces bruxellensis Trois that is set to come out in the month of May.
If you don't get in over your head, how are you ever going to know how tall you are.

Offline ukolowiczd

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Re: Help! All Brett. lamb. beer taste/smell like olive oil
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2012, 04:29:40 pm »
What temp are you fermenting at?  I would think for brett it would be about 70F. You got me curious into trying an all brett fermentation. I want to try that new WLP644 Brettanomyces bruxellensis Trois that is set to come out in the month of May.

I started out at 70F, but I use an electric heater to heat a bedroom for high fermentations and my electric bill goes through the roof. So one week at 70F and the rest of the time b/w 60-68 (I live in VT and turn the heat down at night and when I'm at work).