Oneflewover
Landlord.
Thanks Steve. I think that the primary yeast has completely given up the ghost, but I did think that the brett would consume the priming sugar more readily than it has. Maybe it'll get there, and perhaps I'll stash the remaining half dozen bottles away for Christmas.Today's beer is a Brett Quad brewed by @Oneflewover which I've had stashed away for a while now, and it holds special interest for me because my own brett quad is currently conditioning so it'll be interesting to have something to compare to...
Aroma
Lots of overripe fruitiness of berries, cherry, raisin and funk from the brett, with an interesting cacao hint and subtle vanilla spice. Some alcohol on the nose too but very complex and inviting.
Appearance
Very little hiss on opening and I had to pour this vigorously to get some head on it but it lingered quite well. Gorgeous deep red/brown colour and good clarity.
Flavour
A sugary sweetness up front with complex malt flavours following, but actually quite light on the palate. Some pleasant and subtle aromatic spiciness and then the ripe fruitiness, which adds a nice sort of mid-level of flavours along with some soft, biscuity malt before the finish, which is surprisingly dry after the initial sweetness, with a herbal bitterness. Also an interesting, almost savoury earthiness to the brett funk.
Overall Impression
Now there's a lot going on here and a lot to unpack in this one. First of all it's a shame that it's rather under-carbed. It's lightly sparkling to a point that I'd maybe like an impy sout or something, but this would really be improved with more fizz. I have a suspicion that some unfermented priming sugar is the reason for at least some of the sweetness up front, which is a bit more than I'd like and does take a couple of sips to get used to. Those are the negatives, and I hope with a bit more conditioning those things will sort themselves out, but there's really a lot to enjoy in this too. The alcohol flavour is noticeable, but it's soft and smooth which suggests a healthy fermentation, and personally when drinking a strong beer like a quad I like it to feel like a strong beer, it enhances the perception of "specialness" for me. Next is that interesting earthiness I'm picking up from the brett, which as soon as I tasted it made me think of the smells and tastes I experienced at the Cantillon brewery. Trust me, that's a really good thing and is the embodiment for me of what Belgian funkiness is all about. I really enjoyed this, but it also frustrated me just a little because it's right on the cusp of being incredibly good, and if only it carbed up it might be there. If it makes you feel any better though I'm in the same boat, my brett quad is taking an age to carbonate. In my mind there's really something special about a good quad and when done right I think it's untouchable in the the world of beer styles, and adding brett to this creates something really unique, truly unlike anything I've tasted elsewhere so thank you for sending this mate, it was an enjoyable experience, and if mine ever carbs up I'll send a bottle out to you in return :hat:
I've got another quad in the fermenter now, very similar base recipe. I'll probably inoculate a gallon with brett again because I think that if I get it right it'll be pretty good.
Cheers