Headed out to Sheboygan’s 8th Street Ale Haus after work. I learned that my bartender used to be Bucky Badger! BIG DEAL!! Listening to Franz Ferdinand and drinking a Brett Beer named after the type of yeast (Brettanomyces) used in the brewing process. Needless to say, the geek in me had to better understand this and I decided to read up on my beer as I was partaking at the bar. Here’s what I read on Wikipedia:
In most beer styles Brettanomyces is typically viewed as a contaminant and the characteristics it imparts are considered unwelcome “off-flavours.” However, in certain styles, particularly certain traditional Belgian ales, it is appreciated and encouraged. Lambic and gueuze owe their unique flavour profiles to Brettanomyces, as do wild yeast saison or farmhouse styles; and it is also found in Oud Bruin and Flanders red ale.[2]
Several American craft breweries use Brettanomyces in their beers. This use began with a renewed interest in Belgian style ales and later formed new styles altogether (Brewers Association, 2007 Great American Beer Festival Style Guidelines, section 13a, 16). Some breweries use 100% Brettanomyces for the fermentation of some of their beers, and omit Saccharomyces from the recipe. It is common for American brewers that use Brettanomyces to also include lactic acid producing bacteria such as Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus in order to provide sourness to the beer. While Brett is sometimes pitched into the fermenter, aging in wood barrels previously inoculated with Brettanomyces is another method used to impart the complexity and sourness contributed by these strains of yeast.
Hmmmm…
Former Bucky Badger
A Brett Beer. First time. Maybe my last..
