Description

This is a clean, fresh-tasting, lightly soured saison with apple, pear, and white wine notes from New World hops. Perfect for a summer day or as a palate refresher at any time. The method requires a little patience but all the steps are relatively simple.

We had the pleasure of tasting this beer which was brewed by Richard on our team here at The Malt Miller and it was such a great beer we asked him to share it. He has kindly given a full and thorough set of instructions which should help you to brew your first soured beer.

We would suggest before buying this kit that you read all of the instructions and have a good and full understanding of the processes involved: this is not a beer for a beginner brewer to try. You should also ensure you understand the techniques around using Brett in a brewing environment which will require good thorough cleaning to prevent cross contamination. For more information, check out our blog on mixed fermentation.

 

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Ingredients Included

Dingemans Pale Ale Malt (3300 grams)
TMM Rolled Wheat Flakes (Flaked Wheat) (820 grams)
Nelson Sauvin Pellets (150 grams)
WLP672 Lactobacillus Brevis  (1 packs)
WLP648 Brettanomyces Bruxellensis Trois Vrai.  (1 packs)

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Method

Beer Style (main): Belgian/French Ales
Beer Style (sub): Specialty Saison
Batch Size: 20
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.010
ABV %: 5
IBU: 0

THE MASH
Temperature °C: 66
Length (mins): 60

THE BOIL
Boil time (mins): 60

Additions and timing:

No additions during first boil – see notes below
Nelson Sauvin – 50g whirlpool DURING PASTEURISATION STEP ONLY

Secondary additions and timing:

Nelson Sauvin – 50g dry hop – day 0
Nelson Sauvin – 50g dry hop – day 28
See notes below

Yeast: WLP652 Lactobacillus brevis + WLP648 Brettanomyces Brux trois vrai
Fermentation temperature/steps: See notes below

Comments:

This is a clean, fresh-tasting, lightly soured saison with apple, pear, and white wine notes from New World hops. Perfect for a summer day or as a palate refresher at any time. The method requires a little patience but all the steps are relatively simple.

 

BEFORE BREW DAY
It is important to start with a good amount of healthy yeast so you are very strongly advised to make starter cultures. The amounts stated here are minimum recommended sizes. If your yeast is coming towards the end of its life you should make a larger starter.

5 days before brewing, prepare a starter for the Brett with 100g DME + 1L water. Use a stir plate if you have one. Note you will not need the Brett until a few days after the initial brew day: Brett is slow and benefits from extra time on the starter.

2 days before brewing, prepare a separate starter for the Lactobacillus with 50g DME + 500ml water. You don’t need a stir plate for this.

 

WATER
Aim for a balanced water profile, min 50ppm Calcium, approx 100ppm chloride and sulphate. Target mash pH 5.5.

 

BREWING
Complete the mash as normal. Boil without adding any hops, then chill to 38°C.

The wort will be soured with the Lactobacillus. You can do this directly in your boil kettle or transfer to a fermenter. Before adding the Lactobacillus, measure the pH of the wort and use lactic acid to lower the pH to approx 4.4. The easiest way to do this is to count the number of drops of acid it takes to lower the pH of a 100ml wort sample to the target, then scale up. Add the acid, then pour in the entire Lactobacillus starter culture, including the starter wort. The extra acidity from the starter wort will help.

Cover the fermenter/kettle and if possible keep above 27°C, up to maximum of 46°C. The Lactobacillus will take 1-3 days to sour the wort, less time at higher temperatures. Measure the pH at various points to check progress. You are aiming for a pH between 3.3 (quite sour) and 3.5 (only a little sour). 3.4 is ideal.

 

PASTEURISATION
When the pH is approaching the right level, remove the Brett starter (remember that?!) from the stir plate and cool for several hours (ideally 12+ hours to let the Brett settle out).

Once the target pH is reached, return the wort to the boil kettle and heat to 82°C. Hold for 5 mins, then turn off the heat and add 50g Nelson Sauvin pellets. Let stand for 30 minutes, then chill to 21°C. Transfer to a scrupulously cleaned fermenter and add another 50g Nelson Sauvin pellets (this is a “day zero” dry hop).

Important: drain the starter wort off the top of the Brett starter so you only pitch the yeast itself. The fast growing process for a Brett starter can throw unpleasant flavours.

Pitch the decanted Brett starter into the fermenter. You do not need to stir the wort: oxygen can make the Brett produce acetic acid (vinegar).

 

FERMENTATION
Keep the fermenter at 21°C and try to forget about it. The Brett can take 4-5 days before it shows any activity at all (even a .001 gravity drop). Primary fermentation will take approximately one month and you may see very little in the way of krausen/foam. Relax and trust the Brett to do its thing!

After one month, add the final 50g Nelson Sauvin pellets and close the fermenter again. Leave for another ten days. This is not the way you would dry hop an IPA or NEIPA etc., but this is not one of those beers!

 

PACKAGING
You are finally ready to package the beer. Bottling is a good idea for this style as the Brett flavours can continue to develop for several months. If bottling, prime with normal brewing sugar (dextrose) – approx 7.5 grams per litre if batch priming. You shouldn’t need extra bottling yeast.

The beer is ready to drink as soon as carbonated but will keep near-indefinitely. Try it after three months, six months, a year, etc.