Brett beers – What the funk is up with that?

As a beer-romanticist (and proud of it) the process of wild yeast fermentation truly warms the cockles of my heart. Maybe it’s the homebrewer in me, but pretty much every beginner text on brewing seems to emphasize the importance of cleanliness and sanitation. It’s also the vibe I take away from the majority of brewery tours I’ve taken part in. The notion of letting beer ferment with whatever microbes are present in the air is like something out of a novel and goes completely against what I was programmed to think of as brewing best-practices.

Not all wild yeasts fermentations occur in open air fermenters (also know as Koelschips/Coolships.) Some brewers opt to pitch a wild yeast culture grown in a lab environment. No matter the methodology, the common link is the presence of Brettanomyces (Brett) yeast. Like traditional brewers yeast (Saccharomyces), Brett has many different strains each bringing different characteristic to the end product. These can range from delicate cherry, fruit notes all the way to earthy and funky (barnyard and horse-blanket are common descriptors you may see from time to time).

Often associated with sour beer but by no means mandatory in their production, Brett provides another tool to a brewers toolbox, allowing them to add a different layer of complexity. That mouth-puckering drinking experience most would associate with sours is predominantly driven by bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and Acetobacter. These are considered spoilage organisms in most instances, but given the right interplay of factors, they produce some of the most distinctive beers in the world.

Beyond sour beer styles there are also examples of Brett being used to provide unique character to well established styles. Take for example the Trappist brewery, Orval. They specialize solely on a Belgian Pale Ale- but what makes Orval unique is their use of Brett during a secondary fermentation once the beer has been bottled. If, like me, you enjoy nerding out on a beer experiment, try and hunt down some bottles of varying ages or age some yourself and set up a side-by-side tasting. The use of Brett produces some really interesting flavor development in the bottle, with the fresher version being more hop forward – but as time passes the Brett character really start to comes to the fore.

Aside for these limited releases, some breweries have built entire brands being heavily focused on Brett beers and I’m really happy to say that we have one right here in Indiana. Based in Indianapolis, Central State Brewing recently started serving up their Brett creations to the masses. Being Brett focused is definitely not a traditional brewery model so i’m really intrigued as to what directions this will allow them grow.

Wild yeast fermentation is just another great example of the experimentation and creativity of craft brewers. The sensory experience of some Brett beers isn’t necessarily going to be everyone’s cup of tea but like most things it’s about finding a profile that fits your palate and remaining opening minded to embracing the funk.