“Le temps ne respecte pas ce qui se fait sans lui”
“Time does not respect what is done without him.”
Sour beer has become all the rage. With kombucha now a common word and tart beers en vogue, it seems the global palette is stepping out of it’s comfort zone. It may seem like a new frontier but it’s in fact a return to an ancient style. The first of beer styles.
Lambic’s History
Humans have been enjoying beer for almost 10,000 years but have only had control of the fermentation process for just under 200 years.
This is because without a way to measure temperature correctly, or knowledge of specific yeast strains, the fermentation process was rather illusive and mystical.
Microscopic wild yeast strains found their way into the beer at different times, and all sorts of changes would occur resulting in “off flavors”, aromas, and souring.
Beer and wine were vulnerable to this “contamination” until the observations of Louis Pasteur in the 19th century.
Pasteur’s work with sterilization and Emile Christian Hansen’s study on “pure yeast strains” changed everything.
Belgium Keeps The Tradition Alive
With the advent of controlled fermentation, most brewers shut out wild yeast and focused on clean beer styles like the newly invented, golden “Pilsner.”
Brewers learned that if wild yeast contaminated their brewhouse, they would end up with only one confused sour style and would go broke trying to get the microscopic critters out.
Belgium held onto their traditions and didn’t jump on the pilsner bandwagon. Brasserie Cantillon and other family run operations around Brussels continued to let their beer ferment and cool under the open night sky. They allowed the natural fauna and wild yeast to find their way from neighboring orchards into the beer.
Every year from October to April when the weather is below 60 degrees, Belgian brewers, that hold true to tradition, welcome the yeast strains of the Zenne Valley.
The Zenne Valley is famous for their naturally occurring invisible critters that make up their “terroir.”
Brewers like Cantillon refuse to clean up spiderwebs or disrupt the delicate eco system that provides them the array of yeast strains that gift them with Lambic.
What Is Lambic?
Lambic is a flat beer made from a mix of malted barley and un-malted wheat. Wild yeast is used in it’s fermentation process. Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Brettanomyces are the primary wild yeast strains brewers aim to capture. In order to be named Lambic it must be brewed in Belgium.
Brasserie Cantillon's Attic
Lactobacillus is the same strain that sours milk and creates lactic acid. It’s involved in what makes Witbier tart too. You may know Witbier if you’ve had a Hoegarden or Allagash White before.
Lambic is fermented in a “coolship” which is an almost flat, square tank, that has a maximized opening. This allows for the most contact between the beer and the air resulting in higher chances in gathering wild yeast.
Lambic is aged for up to 3 years in barrels to help soften the acidity. The barrels have microscopic critters in them too, which results in further transformation of the beer over time. The artistry comes in blending the barrels to reach the perfect balance.
Coolship At Brasserie Cantillon
Armand And His Barrels At 3 Fontenein
Lambic is very unique among all the beer styles. The use of various yeast strains is just one special trait.
Hops that have been aged for up to 2 years are used. The aroma and most of the bitterness is gone by this time and only the preservative and antimicrobial properties remain.
Lambic is also almost completely flat with no carbonation. This makes it rather jarring for the normal beer drinker, as they are not only getting hit with barnyard aromas and sourness, but also no bubbles.
This beer style must be crafted and blended perfectly or else it’s not palatable. If done right, it’s considered the “Montrachet” or “white Burgundy of beer.”
Combine technique, time, and complexity and you can easily understand why few brewers kept up the tradition.
What Is Gueuze?
Gueuze is made from blending young and old Lambic (1-3 yrs) and further barrel aging. It’s heavily carbonated and can be aged for decades. It’s called the Champagne of Belgium.
In the late 19th century, Britain’s industrial revolution made way for stronger and more readily available glass bottles. This allowed Gueuze to become very popular.
Fruit Lambic
In the 1930’s fruit became popular to use in the Lambic process. This bumped up the sugars and carbonation. Local sour cherries called “Schaarbeek” cherries were grown in orchards surrounding Brussels and Beersel. Their addition created “Kriek.”
Today there are many different styles of fruited Lambic. Apricots, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, plums, and other fruits are used.
Wine must from Merlot and Muscat grapes are even used by Cantillon to create a wine and beer hybrid!
What Food Pairs With Lambic?
Pairing with Lambic is tricky. It’s best to look to foods that are light, gamey, or acidic to match the barnyard and sour elements of the beer. Goat cheese and cheeses with high acidity are a wonderful match.
I fell in love with a local Belgian specialty called “Pottekeis” which is made from tangy, fermented, fresh local cheese, spring onions, and Gueuze. Unavailable outside of Belgium for obvious reasons..
Lambic And Gueuze In America
There are some skilled brewers in America that craft these Belgian classics. You most likely won’t find a flat Lambic but you will find plenty of fruited Lambic and some decent Gueuze.
The brewers that make the best examples over here have strong relationships with Cantillon.
Russian River is said to have washed their walls with Lambic wort from Cantillon to provide the microscopic critters necessary for “spontaneous fermentation” to take place.
Lambic and Gueuze cannot be called by these names outside of Belgium so they are called “wild ales.”
Fruit Lambic And Gueuze To Try
- Russian River Brewing “Supplication” Wild Ale with Cherries (US)
- Russian River Brewing “Consecration” Wild Ale with Currants (US)
- Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze (Belgium) Available in US
- Oud Beersel Oude Kriek (Cherries)(Belgium) Available in the US
- Oude Gueuze Tilquin (Belgium) Available in the US
- 3 Fontenein Oude Gueuze (Belgium) Available in the US
- 3 Fontenein Cuvee Armand + Gaston (Belgium) Available in the US
- Brasserie Cantillon Classic Gueuze (Belgium) Only Available in Europe
Finding classic Gueuze to enjoy in the states can be tricky. Your best odds are to visit a high end wine shop or craft beer store. Cantillon is rarely distributed in the US due to small quantities.
I highly recommend Brouwerij 3 Fontenein. They may be pricey compared to other beers but the time it takes to craft their work is immense. They were also rated the best brewery in the world a few years ago. Next in line would be Oude Beersel, Tilquin, and Boon.
If you live on the West Coast you may be lucky enough to find Russian Rivers beers. All of their fruited wild ales are extraordinary.
If you’re on the East Coast look to Allagash’s Coolship line. If you live near or in Vermont, look to Hill Farmstead (ranked the world’s best brewery in the last year or two).
Happy hunting and enjoy exploring these ancient Belgian classics.
Cheers!
