ae4853t 3 Shared, 1 Reviewed
Author: BYO Staff
Issue: Jan/Feb 2008
"When we fill the used Chardonnay barrels, we only add Brettanomyces in with the beer as we are filling the barrels. The acidity comes from the bacteria that are floating around our barrel room. To achieve the acidity as a homebrewer, you'll need to add some Lacto and Pedio."
— Vinnie Cilurzo
Russian River Brewing Co. Temptation clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG =1.064 FG = 1.012 (going into the barrel), IBU = 28 SRM = 4 ABV = 6.7%
Ingredients:
12 lb. 6 oz. (5.6 kg) 2-row pale or Pils malt
10 oz. (0.28 kg) wheat malt
3.8 AAU Styrian Golding hops (90 min) (0.76 oz./22 g of 5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Sterling hops (30 min) (0.56 oz./16 g of 8% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Sterling hops (0 min) (0.56 oz./16 g of 8% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1214 (Belgian Ale) or White Labs WLP550 (Belgian Ale) yeast
Wyeast 5112 (Brettanomyces bruxellensis) or White Labs WLP650 (Brettanomyces bruxellensis) yeast
Wyeast 5335 (Lactobacillus) or White Labs WLP677 (Lactobacillus) bacteria Wyeast 5733 (Pediococcus) bacteria
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step:
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C). Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment at ale temperatures. Fine beer post fermentation. Add a 1 pint Brettanomyces bruxellensis starter. At Russian River, we get the Lacto and Pedio from the air or blending post barrel aging. For homebrewing purposes, add a 0.5 pint (240 mL) Lactobacillus starter and a 0.5 pint (240 mL) Pediococcus starter. You can also try to culture them from a bottle of Temptation.
Age for 12–15 months. Bottle condition or force carbonate. Remember that if you are bottle conditioning, you'll need to add more sugar than normal, probably 1 cup of sugar per 5 gallons (19 L). This is because the beer has lost all of its CO2 during the barrel aging. It is as still as wine when it comes out of the barrel.