The Caley manager, making a winning return to the ground that held so many nightmares for him as a boss 13 months ago, said: "No-one rates Ian higher than I do but sometimes he thinks the whole world's against him.
"This past week or so has been a bit about the growing up process for him and he played a huge part in this win.
"So all the stuff that went on is in the past already as far as I'm concerned.
"We were superb, especially the way the back four competed against a big strong team. And from a personal point of view it doesn't make it sweeter taking three points off United - all points are sweet."
The defeat for the Arabs showed there's only so far you can stretch a squad before it breaks as a long list of injuries and the consequences of their eight red cards this season took their toll.
Craig Levein had six key men sidelined - Barry Robson and Sean Dillon suspended, Noel Hunt, Jon Daly, Prince Buaben and Christian Kalvenes crocked.
That meant another shift up front for LeeWilkie, a makeshift side all over the rest of the park and a struggle to make things happen in the final third.
What creativity there was in a dire opening spell came from Morgaro Gomis Steven Robb set up the French ace and he was within inches of finishing a great move with a 20-yard drive that whistled past the post.
But Black finally brought some light to the darkness in 20 minutes with a flash of genius.
Garry Kenneth's tackle on Marius Niculae broke to the little midfielder 25 yards out.
He glanced up to see Grzegorz Szamotulski off his line then flighted a dream chip over the Polish keeper.
It was the first goal from open play United had lost in the league at Tannadice all season, the first time they'd gone behind in front of their own fans - and a real test of their character. To be fair, they did respond and for long spells threw the kitchen sink at Caley.
But there's no substitute for quality when it comes to the crunch.
Willo Flood, deputising at right back for Dillon, put in a decent shift and twice in the death throes of the half came close to teeing up a leveller.
First his cross from the right crashed off the bar then Kenneth should have buried his corner from the opposite side. The same pair teamed up for an even more glaring miss just before the hour.
The big stopper met Flood's free-kick from deep on the left at the back post - but this time glanced wide from four yards.
Despite the Arabs giving it the Alamo in the second half, shifting Jordan Robertson up front alongside Wilkie, and even Kenneth joining them at the death, Brewster's side defended magnificently.
Marshalled superbly by Grant Munro they restricted United to a couple of wide long-rangers from Robertson and Mark Kerr.
And in the end Caley Thistle came closer to extending their lead than giving it up, John Rankin's tame shot being bungled past by Szamotulski.
Caley stopper Phil McGuire said: "We restricted them to only a few chances and our organisation throughout the team paid off."
MATCH STATS
4 SHOTS ON 5
7 SHOTS OFF4
3 OFFSIDE 0
10 FOULS 14
6 CORNERS 7
1 BOOKINS 0
REF WATCH
IAIN BRINES almost produced a surprise clean sheet, dishing out just one yellow to Lee Wilkie. Not as frantic as usual, in fact a decent display by the ref. Rating: 7/10.
