Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:56 am
Depending on which strain of brett L. you use you will get different results. The Wyeast Brett L. will and does produce a very nice cherry pie aroma/flavor with a hint of tartness (very slight). The White Labs Brett L. is a completely different beast creating more horsey, leathery, smokey, funk in flavor and aroma.
I have always preferred the WY strain for my brett beers. Brett doesn't really sour a beer at all. Some strains will produce a very slight acidity over time, but not the typical lactic acidity most peoply correlate with sour beers. If you want to do a truly sour beer, your best bet would be use WY Roselare blend or WL sour mix in primary (no starter, be patient as it will get going eventually). Followed by the addition of some commercial dregs of sour beers you have purchased (think Jolly Pumpkin, Russian River, Cantillon, etc).
After primary fermentation is complete, rack your beer to a secondary on top of the fruit with your dregs added for complexity and depth. Give the fruit at least 6 mos on the beer and then have a taste. Package your beer when the gravity seems stable (same reading over the course of several weeks) and when the flavor is right for you.
Plan on your first batch taking about 9-12 mos before packaging. Meanwhile, use some of the yeast cake to make another sour beer. This second one should sour even quicker than the first as the bacteria and brett are ready to go! Good luck and most of all be patient.
"A bad man is a good man's job, while a good man is a bad man's teacher."
