What is Brettanomyces?

What is Brettanomyces?

It's a specific type of yeast.

The name means "British fungus" but it's not as regional as that might suggest. Brettanomyces grows naturally on the skins of fruits of all kinds. It exists in the ambient environment, or you could say, in the wild. Historically, brewers have attempted (with varied success) to protect their beers from coming into contact with the wild yeast as it imparts its distinctive, signature flavours of funkiness, spice, fruit notes, and mild tartness onto all beers. Like all life, it strives to prosper and spread itself so today's brewers use modern sanitation techniques to keep this yeast in check.