Our second release in the Brewers’ Series is a Dry Hopped Brett Saison aged in Wine Barrels. We brewed a Saison using traditional malts and hops. However, we decided to stray from traditional yeast and pitched a very simple yet complex strain: Brettanomyces Drei (Brett). Brett was recently classified as a brewer’s yeast and not a true Brett. At Grand Teton Brewing we feel the aroma and flavor profile is like nothing any of our typical brewer’s yeast produces, which is why we used Brett for our primary fermentation. 

Once the beer reached an incredibly low gravity resulting in a crisp, clean and dry beer, we transferred it to wine barrels that house a healthy culture of Brettanomyces Bruxellensis. It was at this point we waited for the Brett in the barrels to transform an already great beer into a truly special and delicious beer. 

As the beer aged it took on more traditional Brett characteristics, we knew it was time to package this beer. A few weeks before packaging we added a blend of hops at a rate of 5 pounds per wooden barrel. We chose Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand and Hallertau Blanc hops from Germany. Both of these varietals impart complex fruit flavors and aromas as well as earthy undertones: pineapple, white grapes, gooseberry and black pepper.

The live Brett in this beer, as well as generous amounts of unique and flavorful hops, make this a great beer to drink fresh. It may also be cellared to develop for years to co