Tartness in Saisons

What causes the tartness of a Saison/farmhouse ale? Which kind of Brett is best for this? I like the tartness but not the barnyardiness of like a lambic. Also doesn't this take a few years to develop tartness?

KuntzBrewing said:

What causes the tartness of a Saison/farmhouse ale? Which kind of Brett is best for this? I like the tartness but not the barnyardiness of like a lambic. Also doesn't this take a few years to develop tartness?

Click to expand...

From what I understand, one way to get the tartness is to lower your wort pH below the "normal" range. I think it was finished wort pH of less than 4.0 but I can't remember. Hopefully somebody else with more experience can chime in.

[EDIT] Found you a link with some info. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/acid-malt-saison-why-309441/

This question would really be better placed in the Lambic/Wild forum.

I have limited experience in sours, but from what I gather: Barnyardiness comes from Brett. If you want tartness (like what you get from a Berlinerweiss), you want to focus on Lacto/Pedio.

As for timing, the tartness can come on quickly or slowly; either way, it will develop over the course of months and years. Sour and funky beers are an investment, and not for the impatient. Plan on a year minimum.

For reference, Wild Ales and the Mad Fermentationist blog are both indispensable for embracing the funk.

Occasionally you'll get people fermenting saisons with a bit of lactic bacteria, but generally speaking it's just a very simple grain bill with a distinctive yeast. If you get the thing bone dry and estery, I can see how that might be perceived as tartness..

I planned on pitching wyeast 3724 with a mix of jolly pumpkin sludge from Bam Bière and Fuego del Ontoño (750ml bottles) I may put some acid malt with mainly pilsner and a little wheat and bitter it to 25 ibu