Recipe #48: Release the Panic (Session Brett Wheat IPA)

I have really wanted to get into single strain 100% Brett fermentations for awhile now.  I did a Brett L Oud Bruin in Spring that was supposedly mixed with some Lacto (no lactic acid in the beer though), and I have wanted to brew a hoppy Brett beer as the fruitiness of the Brett is a great compliment to fruity hops.  Seeing as this is a split batch with a Session White IPA I don't really want a super fruity beer for this batch so I did a larger addition of Chinook to get a substantial amount of Pine with the Simcoe in there as well.

I decided to mash a little higher than normal for this beer since it is a smaller beer.  I didn't want it to end up in the lower single digits on the FG and be thin, especially since Brett beers typically lack body.  The high percentage of flaked products, the flaked oats, and the higher levels of Chloride compared to Sulfate should make for a decent finish on this batch even if the FG dips a little lower. 


The name of this particular beer is a reference to the title track of Red's 4th album, Release the Panic.  The name of my brewery is from there first release End of Silence, and I thought that the name for this beer would be fitting to it's nature.  No hops in the boil, lots of unmalted adjuncts, 50% huskless grains, very little rice hulls, 30 minute boil, all Brett fermentation... lots of stuff that most people would panic over.  What if I get a stuck sparge, there won't be any IBUs in my beer, what about DMS, what if I get Brett in my brewgear and never get it out.... Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!  Thus, Release the Panic!  Plus, Red rocks, and any chance to toss a reference in there I'll take it.

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Stats:
5.25 gallons
1.046 OG
1.008 FG
5.0% ABV
45 IBUs.
3 SRM
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Fermentables:
5.0# Great Western Pale Malt (3L)
4.0# Flaked Wheat
1.0# Flaked Oats
10 hours @ 160*F (dropped to 144-150 ~ 147*F)
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Boil: 30 minutes
FO WP 30 mins 2.0 oz Mosaic (pellet) 12.4%
FO WP 30 mins 2.0 oz Simcoe (pellet) 13.0%
FO WP 30 mins 2.0 oz Calypso (pellet) 12.8%
FO WP 30 mins 4.0 oz Chinook (home grown) ~ 10.0%
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Kettle Additions:
10 mins 2 taps Yeast nutrient
10 mins 1 tab Whirfloc
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Fermentation:
Brett Brux (Elysian Mortis) 0.25L starter to 0.5L (2 week) to 2L (1 week).
11 days @ 68*F
Kegged on day 12
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08/01 Brewed by myself.  Mashed in at 9:30pm @ 160*F on back patio, wrapped in heating blanket and sleeping bag overnight.  Placed 2L starter of Brett into fridge to flocc out.

08/02 Awoke and started brewing at 7:30am.  Easy runoff, double sparge, collected 14.5 gallons of wort and split into 2 batches.  Brought to boil and left the house for 20 mins.  Turned off heat and submerged all the hops into the wort in a 5 gallon paint strainer bag.  Held it under with the chiller.  Whirlpool worked great with hops in the bag.  Chilled to 75*F and placed into ferm fridge set to 68*F @ 11:30am.  Yeast was not floccing out well.  Pitched yeast at 8:30pm that night.  Fermentation started by 8:00am next morning, rocking by 24 hour mark, still steady after 60 hours.

08/05 Still going, thick with krausen.  Fridge smells nice too, slight funk and fruit.

08/08 Krausen dropped.

08/09 Down to 1.008.

08/13 Kegged and placed in fridge @ 40 on 10psi to carb.