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On The Odd But Always Interesting Introduction Of “Brett” To Beer

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by Chuck Hallett | Ready for some advanced beer-geekery? Let’s talk Brettanomyces, or “Brett” for short. Brett is an interesting micro-organism. I’ll give you a second to go read that link. In particular, read the sub-section on Sensory Compounds. Brett can infuse your wine and beer with such lovely flavours as “Band-aids”, “Sweaty saddle”, or even “rancid cheese”.

Sound delicious yet? Well, that’s the trick. On the surface, this bugger sounds just awful, like the sort of insulting thing you would say about a beer right before pouring it down the drain. In sufficient quantities, it can be true. In just the right levels, though, it’s actually really freaking good. I mean, who doesn’t want just a little “antiseptic” in their beer?

Brett can add a pleasing complexity to beer, something perhaps best described as “funk.” The best thing is that virtually no two Brett beers are the same. Brett in different levels can add a tiny tang to a beer, or go all the way up to making it almost – and I must stress the almost – undrinkable.

The fact that most producers tend to ferment their beers with Brett while aging in oak barrels only adds to the complexity. I’m a huge fan of pretty much anything that spent time in an oak barrel, and beer is absolutely no exception.

Because Brett works slowly it can keep changing a beer for months, even years, after bottling. This is why these beers are often bottled with a little Brett left in suspension, and not infrequently corked in order to…well…keep the Brett from exploding.

For this reason, even two bottles of the exact same beer can show remarkable variability. They can be subtle with a flavour that you can’t quite put your finger on. They can be tart. They can be sour. They can be – and usually are – delicious.

Ultimately, though, I’m not going to have much luck trying to convince you online that “barnyard” really is a flavour that you’d dig in your beer. In person is the only way to go, and luckily I have some recommendations. Go to your local private liquor store and grab some today (the government one’s don’t carry stuff this good).

YOUR HOMEWORK | On the milder end is “Logsdon Farmhouse Seizoen Bretta.” This is a subtly complex Saison from just outside Portland, Oregon. Watch for the non-Brett version, too (no “Bretta” in the name). This is a great opportunity to buy both and compare the before and after to see what Brett does.

Want some hops with your funk? Try “Rayon Vert,” a hoppy, Bretty Belgian Ale from San Diego brewer Green Flash. Also available is “Anchorage Galaxy White IPA,” which has some wine yeast thrown into the mix for good measure.

A little more advanced (and a little on the sour side) is “The Commons Flemish Kiss.” This is a fairly straight-forward Portland-produced Pale Ale that’s been crammed into used wine barrels with Brett for five weeks. The result is a slightly sour, intensely interesting beer.

Slightly sour not your thing? Try “Cantillon Gueuze.” It’s a traditional Belgian sour presented straight-up. This is just you, some beer, and capital-S Sour. If you find the prospect of unadulterated sour beer somewhat intimidating, you should try the “Cantillon Kriek.” Sour cherries have been introduced to the mix to provide some extra body, and of course cherry flavouring.

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Chuck Hallett lives and works in downtown Vancouver. His passionate obsession with craft beer borders on insanity. When not attempting to single-handedly financially support the local brewing industry through personal consumption, he spouts off on his award-winning beer-themed blog: BarleyMowat.com. If you’re in a good beer bar reading this, odds are he’s sitting next to you. Be polite and say hi.