Spontaneously fermented madness

[Rob DeNunzio]

So like I mentioned in my Fermentation Friday post today, I'm thinking my next batch will be completely spontaneously fermented. I'm thinking that then by the time it's aged enough (that is, if it even works), it'll be fruit season again and I can decide whether or not I want to blend it with anything for a little extra ooh-la-la.

Any of you ever dare let nature take its course? Stand up and be counted! I'd love to hear of anyone's experience trying something as unpredictable and prone to failure as making a truly wild ale...

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Are you kidding? I've not even been willing to use a Wyeast slap pack of brett and lactic acid bacteria to brew up a kit lambic yet! I've always assumed I'm gonna have to wait until I can obtain some dedicated equipment to do anything remotely wild ... be it intentional or spontaneous.

That being said, though, I'd love to hear stories from those who have taken a ride on the wild side! (why do I hear Motley Crue in my head ... ... stop it, stop it ...)

[Nathan Rice]

So did you ever try this? I'm itching to make my own brett beer and was actually thinking of giving it a go this weekend. My plan is to make a (very) small batch in a one gallon growler. Since it's just going to be an experiment, I was going to use a Grand Cru liquid extract kit. Not sure if I want to beef it up with some DME or just use more from the extract kit since it will be a small batch. I was also thinking of doing a bit of a Belgian/ Maris Otter grain tea bag. I was going to use dedicated equipment to avoid contamination in the rest of me gear. I also wasn't sure if I should go straight Brett yeast or if I should go half and half with Brett and an Abbey Ale yeast.

I was also thinking of throwing some oak chips into the secondary but have never done anything like that before. How do you sanitize the chips before they go in? If you boil them would they lose their oaky character? Am I insane for even wanting to try this? Questions questions, but this would only technically be my 6th batch of homebrew ever.

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

I like your small batch idea, Nathan. I might attempt this myself in the near future. I think Wyeast has some "brett blends" available right now that give you a dose of brett plus a few other nice bacteria! As far as oak is concerned, there are a lot of ways you can sterilize the oak ... I almost always soak the oak chips in a grain neutral spirit (vodka) for a few day to a few weeks and then add the chips at secondary. Sometimes I'll pour the entire container in, vodka and all (usually 4-5 oz.) - depending on the style I'm brewing. You can also "flash bake" your chips in the oven to kill any undesireables. I've done both with good results.

[Rob DeNunzio]

You know, I didn't get around to it, but maybe it's time I revisit the idea. Sounds like what you're planning is way more controlled that what I was thinking, though. Big difference between a controlled brett introduction and spontaneous fermentation!

And I never do anything fancy to my oak unless I want some sort of "previously used barrel" character. Easiest way to control it, though, if you want a sanitary solution, is to soak the oak in just enough water to cover for about a week, then draw off the water, bring it to a boil, and add it to your fermenter (you can let the chips dry out and try to use them again, but you'll get less from them over time). You can add it slowly over the course of a couple weeks until you get the level of oak you want.

But like I said, maybe it's time to revisit the spontaneously fermented beer attempt. As soon as we get into high fruit season...

[Nathan Rice]

After doing some more research, I may actually put the brakes on this project a little. I've been in contact with Mike Tonsmiere a.k.a "The Mad Fermantationist" http://madfermentationist.blogspot.com/ and it sounds like these Brett beers can be on the finicky side to say the least. May have to do an alternate small batch to feed my jones and look at the brett beer a little ways down the road. I should probably try to get my first all grain under my belt before I try a lot of weird Brett/oak/Belgian experiments. :)

Thanks for the good advice about the oak chips though! It sounds like a little oak can go a long way too. Maybe I'll mess with an oaked beer this weekend instead of the brett.

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Yeah, I very seldom use more than 4oz per 5 gallon batch, if they're chips. Typically something closer to 2 oz. outta do it if the beer's resting on them for 2 weeks or more. If you use cubes, or staves, you can use a little more and/or a little longer since the there is less surface area.

A little does indeed go a long way!

Happy brewing!