[James K]

I made a beer near the end of July. Gravity was 1.057. I used dregs for the beer and with a refractometer calculator I am told the beer is at .995. I still see bubbles in the fermentor, and the beer is clearing up. I was going to use carbonation drops to bottle after I cold crashed the beer for a few days.

There is brettanomycies present, I can taste the Brett. Should I wait longer? Or bottle the beer and let the Brett come out in he bottles? They will have new sugar to chew on from the drops.

Personally I don’t think the gravity is going to get much lower than it already is but don’t want bottle bombs.

[KellerBrauer]

I cannot help with your Brett question, but I can tell you that using a refractometer and a calculator is not accurate nor is it reliable.  You can purchase a Hydrometer and a plastic tube for under $30 and will have much greater reliability and accuracy.  Sorry I couldn’t offer any further help. 

[James K]

I cannot help with your Brett question, but I can tell you that using a refractometer and a calculator is not accurate nor is it reliable.  You can purchase a Hydrometer and a plastic tube for under $30 and will have much greater reliability and accuracy.  Sorry I couldn’t offer any further help. 

What I pitched had a typical yeast strain present so the beer is finished out, and when I measured it a few weeks ago the gravity was 1.002 with the calculator. So. In terms of the yeast, i think that process is over, in terms of the Brett, I think work is slowly being done.

The whole thing is an experiment and if I drop the rest of he yeast out from cold crashing I think some Brett would stay and change the beer over time.

[RC]

If you're happy with the Brett character, I'd bottle it with powered dextrose* and also with added dry Sacc yeast. Then I'd refrigerate it when it's carbed. Brett is a slow eater, obviously much more so when cold. Sacc will outcompete Brett for the added priming sugars, so during the carb period (10-14 days) you won't pick up any additional Brett character.

If Brett is present and you bottle the beer and keep it at room temp, you will definitely eventually get bottle bombs. Just a matter of time. So I'd consume the beer relatively quickly.

(*As an aside, I hate those carb drops. Every time I've tried them, they give a soda-like carbonation to my beer. It's a very sharp, coarse carbonation, and it never smooths out. I'll stick with the powdered dextrose.)

[dmtaylor]

When in doubt, let it ferment longer before packaging.  You'll usually be glad you did.  I'd give it another couple weeks probably if you still see bubbling going on.

[James K]

(*As an aside, I hate those carb drops. Every time I've tried them, they give a soda-like carbonation to my beer. It's a very sharp, coarse carbonation, and it never smooths out. I'll stick with the powdered dextrose.)

Not sure how you do it but I use 750s and they work great.

I am advised to check gravity in two weeks and see what the calculator tells me. I do not plan on repitching any yeast, but will consider after a few more weeks.

He beer has been sitting on the yeast cake for close to 5 weeks. The breweries here tell me Brett will start to consume the yeast cake so i shouldn’t worry about it autolyzing.

[chezteth]

When in doubt, let it ferment longer before packaging.  You'll usually be glad you did.  I'd give it another couple weeks probably if you still see bubbling going on.

Did you purposefully add the Brett to your beer? In my experience, when I have added Brett to a beer I allow it to ferment out for 2 to 3 months before bottling. If you bottle too soon you could end up with bottle bombs. Brett is able to ferment sugars that normal Sacch is not. As Dave states above, when in doubt let it ferment longer.

[James K]

Did you purposefully add the Brett to your beer? In my experience, when I have added Brett to a beer I allow it to ferment out for 2 to 3 months before bottling. If you bottle too soon you could end up with bottle bombs. Brett is able to ferment sugars that normal Sacch is not. As Dave states above, when in doubt let it ferment longer.

Yes I did. I have made Brett beers before. Just not Brett in a primary and I’ve never had a beer that read under 1.0 fg before.