Beer Forum

Working with WY Brett C. and just racked my second 100% brett beer. Unfortunately the beer did not attenuate as much as I had hoped and I'm looking for some insight/advice.

RECIPE: 1058 OG

8.5# Belg. Pils

1# wheat

1# Acid malt

-mashed 148-149 degrees for 90 min.

-racked on top of a brett C. yeast cake (1st gen) from previous brew which fermented down nicely 1046 to 1009 (7.5# pils, .5# wheat, .25# carapils

This most recent brew only fermented down to 1016 (WAY to high IMO). Still tastes great even flat, but was hoping for a drier product. After looking back at my notes, I did not aerate this beer at all while I aerated the first batch with 60sec. pure oxygen. Could lack of oxygen be the reason why the brett did not ferment down enough on this second brew? There was definitely enough yeast to ferment it and I let it sit for 4 wks. before kegging. Whereas my first brett beer (w/only a qt. starter) took 5 wks. Should I pitch a different Brett into the beer to finish up those last few gravity points I want and funk it up more? Or wrap a brew belt around my corny keg and try to warm things up for the remaining yeast to shave off a few points?

Any ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated. My yeast thanks you!

you added 1 pound of acid malt....what was your mash pH? perhaps you lost efficiency because your mash pH was very low.

I nailed my OG for my recipe and let the mash sit for 90 min. to convert with the low saccharification rest (148-149). So if I hit my OG than wasn't my mash efficiency okay (measured at 80%)? I am guessing I either didn't leave the beer on the yeast long enough or I should've fermented a bit warmer, like in the low 70's to ensure attenuation. Either way I am now left with a 1016 gravity beer, so can I pitch some WY brett L. and let it eat away at the remaining sugars?

Not sure how far down Brett C. will go, maybe pitch Brett B. - that should eat everything, given enough time.

Just got my order in yesterday, and pitched a packet of WY Brett B. into the Brett C. beer. Will really be interesting to see the results of a brett on brett beer. I have wanted to do one for a while, but sometimes your beer tells YOU what to brew! Hoping for the best in about 5-6 months. I would really love the Brett B. to chomp through 8-10 gravity points. I know that's a lot to ask, but I feel like there are still lots of residual sugars remaining esp. with the low mash temps performed.