Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Question about Saison Brett  (Read 1233 times)

Offline scottgott01

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 33
Question about Saison Brett
« on: October 22, 2013, 10:58:02 am »
Hey Guys,

I brewed a Saison Brett (Brett B) back on May 5. Its been in the primary now for roughly 5 months. I added the Brett after my initial Saison yeast was nearly finished (ramped it up to 85 degrees slowly, then let it hit about 70 before adding Brett). I am wondering if the 5 months is a sufficient amount of time in the primary and if it is okay to keg this beer. I am asking because recently over the past few weeks there has been a white bubbly film forming on top of the brew and I am wondering if that is the brett just beginning to do its thing. Should I transfer to the keg and secondary in that for another month or so? Or do you think this is good to go.
Belfrey Cross Brewing

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Question about Saison Brett
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2013, 11:23:00 am »
how does it taste? that is the only way to really answer your question. I find that you get a nice brett character pretty quick but your situation is different than mine and brett is a fickle beast.

the film is likely from the brett, unless you got some other form of infection as well. and you are fine to leave it for a while, or keg half of it and leave the other half longer.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline garc_mall

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 858
  • [1892.9, 294.9deg] AR Lynnwood, WA
Re: Question about Saison Brett
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2013, 11:36:44 am »
As with all beer, its ready when it tastes ready. Especially since you are kegging, and don't have to worry about bottle bombs.

Offline kylekohlmorgen

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1363
  • Saint Louis, MO
    • The South House Pilot Brewery
Re: Question about Saison Brett
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2013, 01:13:50 pm »
Just leave 'er be until it tastes ready to you.

Next time, you may transfer to a keg before adding brett. Its frees up a fermenter, its easier to taste-test, and you get the beer off the yeast cake / trub.
Twitter/Instagram: @southhousebrew

Recipes, Brett/Bacteria Experiments: http://SouthHouseBeer.com/

Offline erockrph

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7788
  • Chepachet, RI
    • The Hop WHisperer
Re: Question about Saison Brett
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2013, 03:41:07 pm »
I have something similar going myself. I brewed a Saison de Garde using 3711 at the end of April, then racked it to secondary and pitched a vial of Brett Trois the last week of May.

I just took my first tasting sample last week and it was pretty boozy (1.080 OG - didn't take enough for a current gravity sample). There was a hint of horseyness (sort of like Sarah Jessica Parker), and not much else Brett character - certainly none of the fruitiness I was hoping for. I'll check back in another month or two, but if there's no new development then I might add in some woken-up dregs from either Orval, Ommegang Biere de Mars, or one of the Brett-aged Allagash brews I have in the cellar (Confluence & Interlude). With beers like this, they're ready when your palate tells you they are.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer