[ynotbrusum]

I have both and was thinking of trying them out together on a saison this weekend - good idea, bad idea or what the hey, give it a try?  Or I could split a batch, though a starter is not involved with the Brett as yet...just thinking that a hint of funk might sit well in this situation.  Haven't tried the Belle Saison before, so any input is welcome!

[kylekohlmorgen]

DO IT!

Just keep the IBUs in check... I did an experiment with a Belle-fermented saison w/ brett in the bottle. Great flavors, but WAYYY to bitter at ~40 IBU.

[dordway29]

I also say do it. It's fun seeing how saccharomyces and brett interact. Are you adding the brett in primary or secondary? And which brett strain? My personal favorite has been the brux trois. In primary it can be very clean with some fruitiness. I often get pineapple. Most likely your attenuation is going to be pretty high so I'd keep that in mind as well.

[ynotbrusum]

Brett Brux Trois - WLP 644, but I was thinking I'd add after high krausen or right about there, since it would allow me time to do a Brett starter.  Eventually I want to do a full Brett fermentation - that would be cool.  Thanks for the insights.

[dordway29]

I've found that 100% brett beers are a lot cleaner than mixed fermentations. Brett likes to feed on fermentation by-products from saccharomyces. They are fun though, I have one going right now with that same yeast.

[brewinhard]

The Belle strain is a very high attenuator so you might want to consider mashing higher than normal for a typical saison and eliminating any simple sugars from the recipe to allow the Brett some time to work on any residual sugars for aroma and flavor development.

[ynotbrusum]

Glad I read your last post - the recipe calls for a pound of sucrose, but I was considering subbing in half a pound of malto dextrine for a half of the pound of sucrose.  Any thoughts there?  I was already in the mash at 153 before I read your post.

[Kinetic]

I've had good luck using 4oz of malto dextrin with a medium mash temp and getting a big brett note after 6 months.   8oz. will take longer to ferment and is more than you need.  I suppose I like using MD because I know how much late food I'm giving the brett and it works well.  A high mash temp without MD probably works well too, but I've never tried it.     
 

[ynotbrusum]

Before seeing your post I weighed out 4 ozs and said to myself that is enough...so 4 ozs of Matl Dextrine is in their, along with a half pound of sucrose.  Going to do a little starter for the Brett and pitch it at high krausen.

[Kinetic]

I think you will be pleased with the results.  The only other advice I have is to not sample the beer sooner than 5-6 months after you pitched the brett.  Excess oxygen can produce a vinegar beer.  If after six months you can smell brett and the gravity is sufficiently low, go ahead and bottle or keg it.  Sufficiently low gravity depends on your OG.  Higher gravity beers wont go to 1.000 with brett.  A 4% beer might.

Consider using wine or champagne yeast at bottling unless you don't mind it taking 2-3 months to fully carb.

[ynotbrusum]

I intend to keg it, so no worries on the carb side, but do you rack out of the primary for the bulk aging?  I did rack with a Flanders Red that I made a couple months back - pellicle formed nicely without issues...

[kmccaf]

I intend to keg it, so no worries on the carb side, but do you rack out of the primary for the bulk aging?  I did rack with a Flanders Red that I made a couple months back - pellicle formed nicely without issues...

I do rack out of primary. Usually into a keg. Oh, this reminds me that I put a saison Brett that I blended with a rye braggot sitting in a keg in the basement last winter. Should be delicious funky goodness at this point!

[Kinetic]

I intend to keg it, so no worries on the carb side, but do you rack out of the primary for the bulk aging?  I did rack with a Flanders Red that I made a couple months back - pellicle formed nicely without issues...

For Flanders, I keep everything in the primary for 6 months, then bottle if the gravity is low enough.  Most people use a secondary.  I tried the secondary for my first attempt and wasn't satisfied with the sourness or funk after 9 months.  It was ok, but not what I wanted.  Then I tried the primary only approach and was happy with the level of sourness, funk and attenuation after 6 months, so that is how I continue to do it.  This method produces a beer that is more sour and funky than Roddenbach GranCru and comparable to Russian River Consecration in terms of sourness and funk.

For a sacc plus brett beer, I use a secondary and pitch the brett into the secondary.  That seems to work well.