The Yeast Bay is a company that began shipping yeast to homebrewers and commercial brewers in February of 2014. I have been an ardent supporter as they offer unique strains that are not available via the two largest yeast providers in the country. They also offer blends for sour beers and brettanomyces blends. I have been quite satisfied with the results up to this point and was looking forward to trying some of the Brett blends that I hadn’t used yet.
I decided to make a single wort and split it three ways, allowing me to try three different blends and compare the results side by side. I ordered the Beersel, Brussels, and Lochristi blends. When they arrived, I made a 1 Liter starter for each, using a stir plate for 3 1/2 days each. Ideally, I would have kept each on the stir plate for 7-8 days but timing did not allow me that luxury.
12 lbs Belgian Pale - Chateau/Castle
2 lbs Golden Naked Oats - Simpsons
12 oz Pale Wheat - BestMalz
12 oz Flaked Wheat
4 oz Acidulated - Weyermann
Mash at 150º for 60 mins
1 lb Acidulated - Weyermann
added during Vorlauf to drop pH from 5.22 to 4.69 (calculated)
Boil for 60 minutes
2 oz Hallertau @ 60 mins
1.25 oz Kent Goldings @ 5 mins
After chilling and a 25 minute whirlpool, I ran just over 9 clean gallons into three 3 gallon glass carboys and pitched yeast. These were fermented side by side at ambient, which was 66*-68*, for 5 weeks before kegging and force carbonating.
Fermentation became comfortably active overnight and steadily plugged away for four solid weeks. It took another week or so for the yeast to flocculate and drop bright.
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Here are the descriptions provided by The Yeast Bay website:
Beersel
This blend combines Brettanomyces strains isolated from a lambic produced in the Beersel area in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. All of the strains in this blend provide a balanced profile of fruitiness and funkiness. This blend tends to be a quick starter and forms a nice pellicle. The resulting beer is balanced with a bright and crisp finish.
Temperature: 66 - 72 ºF
Attenuation: 78%+
Flocculation: Medium-Low
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Brussels
This blend combines Brettanomyces strains isolated from a unique lambic produced in the Brussels region of Belgium. All of the isolates in this blend produce a pronounced barnyard funk with mild acidity and very little fruitiness. This blend can be a little slow to start up, but is a great addition to any beer that you want to funk up.
Temperature: 66 - 72 ºF
Attenuation: 80%+
Flocculation: Medium-Low
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Lochristi
This blend combines Brettanomyces strains isolated from a unique beer produced in the Lochristi area in East Flanders. One strain provides a moderate funk and light fruitiness, while the other strain adds a more assertive fruitiness dominated by hints of strawberry. This blend also imparts a pleasant acidity over time that helps to balance out the profile of the finished beer. It can be slow to start up.
Temperature: 66 - 72 ºF
Attenuation: 80%+
Flocculation: Medium-Low
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Tasting notes from hydrometer reading on 4/16/15:
Beersel
Bright, clean, fruity, slightly funky, tart.
Brussels
Dry, tart, complex funkiness stays in balance, clean finish.
Lochristi
Strawberry dominates, mix of funk & fruit, lightly pungent.
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Tasting notes from 5/27/15:
Beersel
Complex Brett funk and over ripe fruit aroma. Pithy orange and grapefruit flavor. Apricot. Decent body and mouthfeel. Quite dry. Fairly bright overall. Quite clear. A bit earthy.
Brussels
Heavy funk on the nose. Slight bit of citrus fruit flavor behind a huge funky onslaught. Bigger body and finish. A touch hazy, but not too much so. A bit acetic without any perceived tartness.
Lochristi
Very fruity nose with light funk notes. Peach and strawberry dominate the flavor with a restrained funkiness underneath. Moderately dry finish. Least clear of the three samples.
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Ultimately, all three came out very different and great in their own way. I have already used portions of each in a few different sour blends. I look forward to incorporating these Brett blends into more recipes in the near future. There’s nothing like tasting the finished result to spur the creative possibilities inherent in each unique blend.
If you want to try out these awesome brett beers and more please join us for our very special class dedicated to Brett beers! Get Funky!
