Lambic is a type of beer brewed mainly in Brussels. They use wild yeast for their spontaneously fermented brewing.
At ForBeerLovers we will discover everything you need to know about Lambic beer, one of the best known and most widely consumed beers in the world.
Characteristics of Lambic beer
One aspect that makes these Lambic beers special is the use of hops from at least three previous harvests. Thus the hops will already have lost their intense aroma and bitterness, but will maintain the preservative properties
Some of the features of the Lambic areas follows:
Aroma
Moderate acidic aroma with fruity notes
Graduation
Its alcohol content is between 7 and 8%.
Appearance
Usually a pale or deep yellow color.
Taste
It has a notable lactic-aggregate taste, with hints of fruit.
What to eat with
Lambic beers pair well with acidic cheeses such as aged Cheddar or Gouda. With more markedly fruity Lambic s, cheeses in the same line such as Brie de Meaux or Camembert.
Ingredients of Lambic
This type of beer has ingredients like the ones below. Take note!
Malts
- 4,5 Kilos of Malt Pale.
- 1,5 Kilos of Malt of wheat.
Hops
- 30 grams of Challenger Hops. Added at the start of boiling
Clarifying agents
- You can use some like Protofolc or Irish Moss.
Yeast
- You can use bacteria like Lactobacillus, Brettanomyces Lambic us and Pediococcus.
Fruits
- 6 kilos of ripe cherries
How it is made
Do you want to make Lambic beer at home? You should know that, by following the all-grain method, you can make a high-quality beer yourself. To do so, follow these steps:
- Maceration: Add the malts and wheat to 17.5 liters of water and macerate for one hour at 65 ºC. You will obtain the sweet must macerated from the malts.
- Boiling: Add 27 litres of water and must to boil. Add the hops once it starts boiling. The must is boiled for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Fermentation: Primary fermentation is started with high-fermentation yeast for ale. After about 2 days, once the secondary fermentation starts, the fruits are added. As the fruits add more sugar, the yeast will take longer to ferment all the sugar and convert it to alcohol. After about 2 weeks the bacteria are added and ferment for 4 more weeks.
- Conditioning: This beer is conditioned for 4 weeks at 12 ºC.
Here is a video so you can learn how to make Lambic at home:
History of Lambic beer
Lambic beers, although not very well known, have a tradition that goes back 400 years. This beer is only made in Belgium, and that makes it unique. They are produced in the Senne valley.
And you may ask yourself, why are they only produced there? Well, this is because the yeasts and bacteria in that valley are what make Lambic unique.
Types of Lambic
Nowadays, there are different types of Lambic depending on the practice carried out during its manufacture. Here is the most common.
Kriek
Kriek is a type of Belgian beer, obtained through the fermentation of sour cherries (also known as Morello)
Gueuze
The gueuze is a beer made from Lambic beer originating in Belgium. Old Lambic is mixed with young Lambic, which still has sugar, and this mixture is fermented again in the bottle
