http://www.brewershilllifestyle.com/floating-beer/
Beers of the World Featuring: the Much Loved “lambic”
In this series of articles I’m going to give you a crash course in the rich and varied beers that dot the globe. In case you haven’t noticed, microbrew beers are taking off big time. Beer used to be the “ugly cousin” of the alcohol world. Pretty well everyone drank their fair share, but only a handful of die hard beer drinkers ever really paid it too much respect. Finally beer is starting to be appreciated for its rich history and diversity, and the care and time that goes into crafting a quality brew.
In this series I will usually give a quick run down of the history, characteristics and popular brands you are likely to find in stores. I might even throw in the odd homebrew recipe, so keep an eye out!
The first beer I’d like to introduce to you is a peculiar style known as “Lambic”
Although no one is exactly sure how or precisely when this style of beer came about, the town of Lembeek (likely where the name came from) has been active in brewing since at least the 1400s. It’s in this region of Belgium we can derive most of the history and production of this particularly unique form variety of beer.
One of the things that make this type of beer so unique is the way in which it’s produced. The earliest forms of any style of beer were typically made from airborne yeast particles, since at the time no one really knew what caused beer to ferment. Instead, they observed that if they left their brew out in the open air for a time some magical force caused it to begin the desired process. However, since then, science has identified this substance that floats in the wind as yeast; brewers have used this knowledge to more purposefully start each new batch with the use of a yeast culture. Lambics on the other hand have never converted to the newer, more controlled method of brewing. Since brewers of Lambic allow wild yeast strains to inhabit their brew it causes the distinctive winy, tart flavor and earthy aroma. There is huge variation between Lambics produced at different dates, and even between different bottles.
Another characteristic of Lambics is that they are made traditionally with large amounts of aged hops. The reason for this is said to be that the old Belgian brewers understood that hops were a good preservative, but on the other hand didn’t want to influence the flavor of their beer too dramatically as would usually result from adding an abundance of hops. This is where the ageing process comes in. Aged hops are much less effective at imparting their natural flavor to beer, but they still have the ability to pass on their preservative qualities.
A common practice utilized by Lambic brewers is to blend their finished product with other beer varieties to produce fruit beers. By far the most popular styles of blended Lambic are “cherry kriek” and “raspberry frambozen”. Blended Lambic is actually where the bulk of the Lambic made by the larger producers is going. It’s still possible to purchase traditional unblended Lambic in Belgium, and to my knowledge there are some North American store bought varieties being produced. There’s no two ways about it though, the single best way to get your hands on quality Lambic is to home brew it yourself!
Unblended Lambic Producers:
Cantillon
Frank Boon
Blended Lambic/Fruit Beer Producers:
Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic
Lakefront Cherry Beer
Mason Arms Damson Beer
I hope you enjoyed the first article in this series.
Matt Tremblay
About the Author
Matt Tremblay is the author of “The Home Brewing Success Blueprint”
Home Brewing | Beer Making Courses
Chico Labor day 2010, Floating, Beer can beach, Go Pro HD
|
|
Fisher Scientific Digital Thermometers with Stainless-Steel Stem, Accuracy/Resolution: 0.1 from -20 to +100, 1 outside this range/1C $29.99 … |
|
|
Excalibur Electronics Radio Control Snack Float – Model# PR640S-1 Pass the beverages around the pool to friends without leaving the comfort of your lounge chair!… |
|
|
Alcohol Thermometer – Floating (Food Grade) $5.98 This is a 11.5″ floating food grade alcohol filled thermometer with temperature scales of 0-220° F, 0-115° C…. |
|
|
Gone FishingTM Floating Multipurpose Knife – 10.375 Inches Not Only Will It Stay Afloat in Water, but Its Blade Is Great for Line Cutting, Scaling and Filleting! In Addition There’s a Compass Conveniently Located in the Handle $9.99 The Gone FishingTM Floating Multipurpose Knife is extremely versatile. Not only will it stay afloat in water, but its blade is great for line cutting, scaling and filleting! In addition there’s a compass conveniently located in the handle. No anglers should be without this amazing knife! Features include: Floats in water 5.625 inch blade Blade is great for line cutting, scaling and filleting Durab… |
|
|
Floating in Pool – 24W x 16H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
|
|
Floating Pool Pong Game # 9164SL 54″ x 27″ floating pool pong table provides lots of action. Soft foam table can be used in a pool or on a table for loads of fun. Comes complete with oversize floating paddles, and three regulation balls. Dimensions: 5″ H x 28″ W x 29″ D… |
|
|
Inflatable Pink Flamingo Coasters (1 dz) $10.50 These inflatable pink flamingo coasters measure 7 1/2″ and are perfect for those 12 oz sodas at your next beach party or Hawaiian Luau. They’re great for keeping your drink handy in the pool too, because these flamingo coasters float! 1 dozen per set. … |
|
|
Intex River Run II $29.95 The mesh bottom of this pool float keeps you cool and the built in backrest boasts easy cruising. Share the float AND the cooler with a friend but enjoy your own personal cup holders. An all-around grab rope and 2 heavy duty handles will keep you cool even in the rockiest conditions! Choose any one of the five air chambers to inflate your River Run II and prepare for water luxury!… |
|
|
Intex Recreation 58820EP Mega Chill Inflatable Floating Pool Drink Cooler Ice Chest $12.99 31″ Mega Chill Inflatable Cooler, Holds Up To 24 Soda Cans Plus Ice, Features 5 Cup Holders & 2 Heavy Duty Handles, 16 Gauge Vinyl With 3 Air Chambers. Repair Patch Included…. |
|
|
Texas Hold’em Pool Poker Set $35.99 … |