Capitalising On Brett Infections

[Swinging Beef]

In about August last year, I made, what I consider, to be my finest Belgian beer.
It was a particularly uninteresting Trippel using the Canuk Belgian strain of Wyeast from Unibrau.
So, I split the batch and threw the dregs from three bottles of Orval into 10 litres of the stuff, and bottled the rest.

Consequently, it seems all my beers have a Brett infection.

THis does not mainifest until it has been in the bottle for about 8 weeks and then they turn into bottle bombs or just taste beautifully sour on pouring, and they have massive carbonation issues.

Now...

I love sour beers, but....

I dont much fancy sour porters or sour munich dunkels.

So...

Until I can be arsed doing anything about this problem, how could I capitalise on this issue and brew beers that would BENEFIT from this classic, sour yeast flavour.

I was thinking I could try to make some Berlinaweiss, Some more big belgian sour beers, Flanders Red, and make sure all of them have dropped below 1000 before I bottle them.

Thoughts?

 

[phonos]

I read an old (i.e. about 100yearsold) article on how brettanomyces was responsible for the distinctly "english" flavour in english beers. Perhaps an old ale would be a suitable style, and should be good for the coming winter too.

 

[Muggus]

I read an old (i.e. about 100yearsold) article on how brettanomyces was responsible for the distinctly "english" flavour in english beers. Perhaps an old ale would be a suitable style, and should be good for the coming winter too.

Believe it or not, the word Brettanomyces roughly translates to "British fungus" in Greek. So yeah, it was once a part of British style beers stored in barrels. Having said that, it's always been considered a fault in most beers, besides crazy Belgians.
However, something like an Old ale, it could be nice. I think you need a good bit of malt base there so you wind up with something like a Flanders Red or Oude Bruin, which has a distinct maltiness with a bit of funk.

 

[Swinging Beef]

Hey, yeah... Brett .. of course... Brittain.

Hmm.. Im getting a bit excited about this, now.
Could be an excellent opportunity to develop a "unique house yeast character" for my beers.

As the rain pounds down and I cogitate on this, styles of beers I reckon that would actually benefit from this:

English Brown/Old
Wheat and Rye beer... imagine the sourness!
Berliner Weissen
P-Lambic style, maybe even fruit styles
Flanders red and brown
Belgian Trippel or golden strong ...maybe

This could work out good if I can find some other local brewers who are willing to do 6pack swaps with me for some weird funky beers.

 

[bconnery]

It as common in older style english beers so yes, old ales would be one style.
A big robust porter would be another candidate.
Belgian styles, flanders red, oud bruin, dark strong ales, strong golden ale.
Saison
An english barleywine perhaps.

If its staying, and you want to go for it, make some lambics...

 

[Swinging Beef]

bconnery... robust porter and english barley wine?
how so?

Part of the reason I know I have the problem is that the barley wine I made last year is showing signs of this infection.
Im enjoying drinking it, and it tastes great, but it is not the beer I had intended to brew.