Brettanomyces Viability Q

[felten]

I'm brewing the orval clone out of BCS, and it calls for a month long secondary with a pitch of brett. My brett smack pack was manufactured on Jan 15th and I'm worried about the viability of it, whether it's going to be enough to do the job in the secondary or not.

I don't want to bottle after a month and have some major overcarbonation or bottle bombs because it didn't have the numbers to drop many grav points in the 2ndary (if that's even enough time for brett to do anything, I don't know?).


Anyone have any thoughts on whether a starter would be required, or is brett such a beast that it will still be fine after 5 months in the fridge?

:icon_cheers:

 

[beers]

I've used +6 month old packs (Brett C & L) in the past with no problems. It will get there in the end, but taking a drop in viability into acount, it makes sense that it will take longer. If you want to speed it up then I don't think a starter would hurt.

 

[felten]

I might give it a go and throw it in a starter, only issue then is I don't have a stirplate so the shaking is all manual. <_<