Using those cute little bugs...brettanomyces

[BarefootLion]

Ok, so giving my 1st shot at some bugs. Planning on a Northern English style dry brown, fermenting the batch down then splitting 1/2 into a 3 gallon carboy with some fresh apples and brett c.

Opinions...insults...any input. Never used bugs, plan on getting a set of hoses and pretty much whatever I can't thoroughly clean just for brett.

Thanks for the input.

[dunleav1]

Getting all plastic for brett is a good idea.

Why apples with the NEB?

[BarefootLion]

eh, something to play with, food for the bugs, I just went apple picking 2 weeks ago and want to make sure they all get used up...

[11amas]

This is a peeve of mine...so bacteria are bugs, right? Brett is a yeast, just like what you brew with, just a different species, so it is a bug because it is "wild"? I guess you can say that but I think it is a poor fit. I am just picky like that.

[BarefootLion]

ok true, it is yeast

How about shit floating in the air that you don't want to normally just let in your beer, better name?

[brewinhard]

to me, the apples sound like a strange fit for the NEB, but this is homebrewing so do what you will and enjoy. Having brewed many wild brett beers, I highly recommend mashing a bit higher than your recipe calls for to leave some unfermentables for the brett to chew on. Brett C. is not super highly attenuative as brett b. or L is (at least in my experience) and is much more neutral and subtle in the way of flavor and aroma. Give it time to do its thing (at least 6 mos or so) before packaging. Don't be afraid to mash up the apples as well to allow the yeast to work on the sugars, just be sanitary about it.

[BarefootLion]

so stepping on them is bad?

Yeah i was going to mash a little high, but I'm also splitting the batch, so I want 1/2 of it to be drinkable early.

Got a culture coming to me from a local brewpub, which is awesome. Thinking might got a couple degrees higher just to give something long term to munch on. Then tuck it in nice and tight.

[11amas]

Well, if you want to be picky, spoilage agents but discerning yeast from bacteria is what I care about. On the other hand, most people only want sac. C in their beer.