I got a vial of Brettanomyces Bruxellensis Trois from Ryan (which is sold by White Labs). They describe it as: “This Belgian strain, used traditionally for 100% Brettanomyces fermentations, produces a slightly tart beer with delicate characteristics of mango and pineapple. Can also be used to produce effervescence when bottle-conditioning.” And, supposedly, White Labs grew it from Geuze Cuvée Joost En Jessie Blauw Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen.
I poured it into a one gallon Central Market Organics Apple Juice bottle, put an airlock on top, and let it motor boat away.
For my first use with kombucha, I replaced the cap on the bottle, shook it up really well, and then poured half of it (1/2 gallon) into my version 14.0 kombucha. The bottling gravity wass 1.013 @ 77.26 = 1.015, and the pH was 3.5 @ 77.26. I consider this to still be too high in gravity as the yeast will certainly bring it down to 1.02 or so. And that much CO2 makes for quite the bottle rocket when warm.
For the second use with kombucha, I poured another half gallon into the conical after the kombucha got to a desired tartness level (the gravity was 1.012 @ 72.26F = 1.014, and the pH was 3.4 @ 72.26). I will let it motor boat in secondary fermentation until it quiets down. I will then add 64 ounces of R. W. Knudsen Organic Just Tart Cherry juice. According to the label, there are four servings of 24 grams of sugar. Which should come out to 96 grams of bottling sugar.
