[PCCoHoperative]

I'm going to do my first lambic, and want to add fruit.  I'm going to follow the traditional advice and let the secondary sit with the bret for a year.  Should I add the fruit when I add the bret, or should I rack and add it a next year, say a month before bottling? Other suggestions?  Thanks, Mark

[reverseapachemaster]

There are lots of ways fruit is added to sour beers. Some people try to capture a fresher fruit character and only leave the fruit for a few weeks to a month before bottling while others leave it for months to make sure they get every sugar and flavor out of the fruit. Neither is necessarily right. Adding it at the same time you add brett and bacteria (you need both) is probably way too early. I would rather let the beer develop without the fruit and then add the fruit after 10-12 months.

[mbarnaby]

I brewed a framboise once that turned on great and placed at a couple of competitions.  I froze all of my raspberries and then added it to the wort after the boil.  The frozen fruit cooled the wort to a good pitchable temp.  Freezing breaks up the cell walls and makes it easier to juice (especially with things like rhubarb).

[pete b]

There are lots of ways fruit is added to sour beers. Some people try to capture a fresher fruit character and only leave the fruit for a few weeks to a month before bottling while others leave it for months to make sure they get every sugar and flavor out of the fruit. Neither is necessarily right. Adding it at the same time you add brett and bacteria (you need both) is probably way too early. I would rather let the beer develop without the fruit and then add the fruit after 10-12 months.

Does pitching brett without bacteria just not make it a lambic or does it make it something awful? The reason I ask is that on a whim I pitched brett L. into a fully fermented rhubarb rye saison then after about a month added a lot of peaches. My plan is to rack it off the peaches at some point and let it sit in a carboy in my root cellar for about a year.

[morticaixavier]

Brett alone is fine, just not a lambic. the brett is one small piece of what is Lambic. the pedio is at least important and where much of the sourness comes from.

[pete b]

Brett alone is fine, just not a lambic. the brett is one small piece of what is Lambic. the pedio is at least important and where much of the sourness comes from.

I suppose I could still add the bacteria. I might not though, just to see how it comes out. Its only about 2 gallons once I rack it off the peaches.

[erockrph]

Brett alone is fine, just not a lambic. the brett is one small piece of what is Lambic. the pedio is at least important and where much of the sourness comes from.

I suppose I could still add the bacteria. I might not though, just to see how it comes out. Its only about 2 gallons once I rack it off the peaches.

It may not be a lambic, but many of my favorite beers are Brett-aged. Orval being a prime example. A good Brett beer can be a wonderful thing.

[pete b]

What about this idea. I leave it in the cellar until peaches are in season next year, add more peaches, then bottle once that fermentation is done.

[reverseapachemaster]

Brett produces the funky flavors in many sour beers and brett-aged beers. It doesn't make much/any acid. You need to add lactic acid bacteria (e.g. lactobacillus and pediococcus) to create the acidity although the rhubarb has probably given you some nice tartness.

Brett alone will make some interesting flavors and it's fairly common to see brett versions of saisons because the funk pairs so well. Peaches can be very delicate in beer but seems to work well with brett (e.g. Logsdon Peche 'n' Brett). I would give it a taste in a few months and see if you like where it is. Brett beers will continue to evolve for several years and some of the early phases are not always fantastic. If you don't like it in a few months then keep checking on it every few months. I would expect you to lose some of the fruit flavor over time but you can always commit to waiting until next peach season and add more peaches before you bottle. I have had brett beers start out pretty bad but I have never had one that I didn't love more as it aged.