CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Horse blanket, face puckering, sour and sweaty are all adjectives to describe the beer category that is the basis for our beery subject of lambic beers. Lambics are beers that are spontaneously fermented by wild yeast and bacteria native to a region outside of Brussels, Belgium, specifically the valley along the River Senne.
Referred to as Payottenland, this region, its people and customs were often the subject of the festive paintings of the famous Flemish painter Pieter Breughel the Elder. The master often depicted the local folk drinking the sour lambic beer from traditional clay urns that are still used in the region.
The casual observer may think the subjects are drinking wine, but wine was the drink of the noble class in Northern Europe, not the festive peasants that were the subject of Breughel's brush.
Lambic beer starts with a simple grist of wheat and barley that is milled almost to a powder and mixed into a porridge that is constantly stirred, and heat is applied to convert the starch to a sugary wort. This turbid mashing process can take up to three hours unlike normal brew, which is typically less than half the time.
The hot wort is pumped to large shallow "coolship" fermenters that typically reside literally up in the rafters. The roof of the brewery is equipped with louvers to allow the naturally occurring wild flora to inoculate the cooling wort. The Senne Valley micro-flora is said to be specifically suited for this purpose and unique in the world. The area was once abundant with sour cherry trees that are credited as the genesis of this lamibcus micro-flora. So now you know the "funk" ...
There are only nine real lambic breweries left in the region along with four lambic blenders. The product is protected as a "Traditional Specialty Guaranteed" or TSG by the European Union.
As for lambic beer styles hailing from the region, we have several traditional versions of beers based on the fundamental lambic beers.
1.Young (fox) lambic -- typically only available in Belgium and at a lambic brewery pub. This beer is not for the faint of heart, typically very sour and will definitely test your salivary glands.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Horse blanket, face puckering, sour and sweaty are all adjectives to describe the beer category that is the basis for our beery subject of lambic beers. Lambics are beers that are spontaneously fermented by wild yeast and bacteria native to a region outside of Brussels, Belgium, specifically the valley along the River Senne.
Referred to as Payottenland, this region, its people and customs were often the subject of the festive paintings of the famous Flemish painter Pieter Breughel the Elder. The master often depicted the local folk drinking the sour lambic beer from traditional clay urns that are still used in the region.
The casual observer may think the subjects are drinking wine, but wine was the drink of the noble class in Northern Europe, not the festive peasants that were the subject of Breughel's brush.
Lambic beer starts with a simple grist of wheat and barley that is milled almost to a powder and mixed into a porridge that is constantly stirred, and heat is applied to convert the starch to a sugary wort. This turbid mashing process can take up to three hours unlike normal brew, which is typically less than half the time.
The hot wort is pumped to large shallow "coolship" fermenters that typically reside literally up in the rafters. The roof of the brewery is equipped with louvers to allow the naturally occurring wild flora to inoculate the cooling wort. The Senne Valley micro-flora is said to be specifically suited for this purpose and unique in the world. The area was once abundant with sour cherry trees that are credited as the genesis of this lamibcus micro-flora. So now you know the "funk" ...
There are only nine real lambic breweries left in the region along with four lambic blenders. The product is protected as a "Traditional Specialty Guaranteed" or TSG by the European Union.
As for lambic beer styles hailing from the region, we have several traditional versions of beers based on the fundamental lambic beers.
1.Young (fox) lambic -- typically only available in Belgium and at a lambic brewery pub. This beer is not for the faint of heart, typically very sour and will definitely test your salivary glands.
2. Faro -- A fox lambic that has been sweetened before serving, typically with rock-candy crystal sugar. Again, this is typically available only in Payottenland.
3. Geuze -- a blend of young and old lambic beers that is aged and referenced in a neutral oak barrel, then bottled for one final fermentation for a champagne-like carbonation. This style preceded champagne so it could be said that champagne has geuze-like carbonation. Try Lindeman's Cuvée Rene often available in Charleston.
4. Kriek -- Literally meaning cherry in Flemish, Kriek is lambic beer that has been blended, aged and finally re-fermented with macerated whole cherries (pits and all). The best examples are very nutty (from the cherry pits) and are not overly sweet, but have a refined fruitiness that dries out to a mild horse-blanket aromatic. The best examples are not available in West Virginia. Lindeman's version is a bit over the top with cherry sweetness and is best used to pair with chocolates or other desserts (or as a dessert on its own). Look for Cantillon, Boon, Drie Fonteinen or Giardin if you are out of state.
5. Framboise -- Similar to Kreik, though raspberry fruit is used. The fruitiness is more subtle and aromatic but it must finish with that signature farmhouse horsy quality. Unfortunately, the same is to be said for this style in West Virginia, a good example is simply unavailable. The same brands cited above will do.
6. Cassis, Peche and Melle -- All are concocted fruity and spicy blends specifically brewed for the sweet-tooth American palate for the most part. They defy tradition. Go buy West Virginia-produced fruit wines if you are so inclined.
There you have it, I tackled one of the most complicated and traditional Belgian beer style categories without making this the beer version of "War and Peace."
For more on the craft of beer, see Rich Ireland's "Beers to You" blog at thegazz.com.
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