-
20. LAMBIC AND BELGIAN SOUR ALE
20A. Straight (Unblended) Lambic-Style Ale
Aroma:
The aroma of these beers is a complex blend from a wide variety of microbiota, often described in the following terms: horsey, horse blanket, sweaty, oaky, hay, and sour. Other aromas that are found in small quantities are: enteric, vinegary and barnyard. Lambics can also be very fruity, and a corky or woody character may also be detected on occasion. Typically, no hop aroma or diacetyl are perceived.
Appearance:
May be cloudy. Head retention is not expected to be very good. Yellow to gold color.
Flavor:
Young examples are intensely sour from lactic acid and at times some acetic acid. When aged, the sourness is more in balance with the malt and wheat character. Fruit flavors are simpler in young lambics and more complex in the older examples. Some oak or wood flavor is sometimes noticeable. Hop bitterness is low to none. Hop flavor is absent. Typically, no diacetyl is perceived.
Mouthfeel:
Medium to light in body. Bottled lambic ales vary from well-carbonated to not carbonated, and draft lambic is virtually flat.
Overall Impression:
Complex, sour, pale, wheat-based ales fermented with a variety of microflora.
History:
Uniquely sour ales from the Senne (Zenne) Valley of Belgium which stem from a farmhouse brewing tradition several centuries old.
Comments:
Straight lambics have a fruity complexity and intense acidity, and very few are bottled. Blended, aged and bottle-conditioned lambics, called gueuze or geuze, tend to have a smoother palate. Lambic is spelled "lambiek" in Flemish.
Ingredients:
Unmalted wheat (30-40%) and aged hops are used. Traditionally, these beers are spontaneously fermented with naturally occurring yeast and bacteria in oak or in some cases chestnut barrels. Home-brewed and craft-brewed versions are more typically made with pure cultures of yeast, including Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces, along with Pediococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria, in an attempt to recreate the effects of the dominant microflora of the Senne/Zenne valley.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044-1.056
IBUs: 10-15 FG: 1.006-1.012
SRM: 4-15 ABV: 4.7-5.8%
Commercial Examples:
Very few straight (unblended) lambics are bottled. Most commonly available is Grand Cru Cantillon Bruocsella 1900. In the area around Brussels (Bruxelles), there are specialty cafes that have draught lambics from traditional brewers such as Boon, Cantillon, De Neve, Girardin, Hanssens, Vander Linden and Timmermans.
20B. Gueuze/Geuze-Style Ale
Aroma:
The aroma of these beers is a complex blend of aromas from a wide variety of microbiota. These aromas include: horsey, horse blanket, sweaty, oaky, hay, and sour. Other aromas that may be found in small quantities are: enteric, vinegary, and barnyard. There can be a very fruity aroma, and some mustiness may be detected. Typically, no hop aroma or diacetyl are perceived.
Appearance:
Gold to medium amber color. May be slightly cloudy. Head retention is not expected to be very good.
Flavor:
Young examples are intensely sour from lactic acid and at times some acetic acid; when aged, the sourness is more in balance with the malt and wheat character. Fruit flavors from esters are simpler in young Gueuze and more complex in the older examples. A slight oak, cork or wood flavor is sometimes noticeable. Typically, no hop flavor or diacetyl are perceived.
Mouthfeel:
Younger bottles (less than five years old) tend to be sparkling, but older vintages are at times less carbonated. Light to medium-light body. Avery faint astringency is often present, like wine, but no more than a well-aged red wine.
Overall Impression:
Intensely refreshing, fruity, complex, sour, pale wheat-based ales fermented with a variety of microflora.
History:
Uniquely sour ales from the Senne (Zenne) Valley of Belgium which stem from a farmhouse brewing tradition several centuries old. Gueuze is the French spelling, while geuze is the Flemish spelling.
Comments:
Gueuze/geuze is traditionally made by blending lambic that ranges in age from three years to less than one year and then bottled. Typically, gueuze/geuze has a smoother palate than straight lambic.
Ingredients:
Unmalted wheat (30-40%) and aged hops are used. Traditionally, these beers are spontaneously fermented and aged with naturally occurring yeast and bacteria in oak or chestnut barrels. Home-brewed and craft-brewed versions are more typically made with pure cultures of yeast, including Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces, along with Pediococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria, in an attempt to recreate the effects of dominant microflora of the Senne/Zenne valley.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044-1.056
IBUs: 10-15 FG: 1.006-1.012
SRM: 4-15 ABV: 4.7-5.8%
Commercial Examples:
Boon, Cantillon, Hanssens, Lindeman's, Boon Mariage Parfait, Girardin, Vandervelden Oud Beersel, DeKeersmaeker.
20C. Fruit Lambic-Style Ale
Aroma:
In younger vintages, the fruit with which the beer has been flavored should be the dominant aroma. In old bottles, the fruit aroma typically has faded and other aromas are more noticeable: horsey, horse blanket, sweaty, oaky, hay and sour. Other aromas that maybe found in small quantities are: enteric, vinegary and barnyard. Lambics can be very fruity from esters as well. Typically, no hop aroma or diacetyl are perceived.
Appearance:
May be slightly cloudy. Head retention is not expected to be very good. The variety of fruit determines the color.
Flavor:
Young examples are intensely sour from lactic acid and at times some acetic acid; when aged, the sourness is more in balance with the fruit, malt and wheat character. Fruit flavors are simpler and more one-dimensional in young lambics (the fruit added being dominant) and more complex in the older examples. A slight oak, cork or wood flavor is sometimes noticeable. Typically, no hop flavor or diacetyl are perceived.
Mouthfeel:
Younger bottles (less than five years) tend to be sparkling, older vintages are sometimes less carbonated. Light to medium-light body. A very faint astringency is acceptable, like wine, but no more than a well-aged red wine.
Overall Impression:
Intensely refreshing, fruit-flavored, complex, sour, pale, wheat-based ales fermented with a variety of microflora.
History:
Uniquely sour ales from the Senne (Zenne) Valley of Belgium which stem from a farmhouse brewing tradition several centuries old. The addition of fruit for flavoring may be a relatively recent post-World War II innovation, however.
Comments:
Commonly made by blending two- or three-year-old straight lambic with young (less than 1-year-old) straight lambic, after which fruit is added for further fermentation and aging before bottle-conditioning with very young straight lambic.
Ingredients:
A blend of older and younger straight lambics is used as a base. Fruits commonly used for flavoring are cherries (Kriek) and raspberries (Framboise), although more recent commercial examples include peaches (Peche), grapes (Vigneronne or Muscat) and black currants (Cassis). Entrant must specify the type of fruit used in making the entry.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044-1.056 (plus the fruit)
IBUs: 10-15 FG: 1.006-1.012
SRM: 4-15 ABV: 4.7-5.8%
Commercial Examples:
Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus, Cantillon Kriek, Cantillon Gueuze Vigneronne, Drie Fontainen Kriek, Hanssens Kriek; Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait, Framboise Marriage Parfait.
20D. Oud Bruin
Aroma:
Deep complexity of fruity esters and Munich-type malt, including notes of raisins and sherry wine in well-aged examples. A slight sour aroma may be present. Hop aroma is very low to none. Diacetyl is typically medium-low to none.
Appearance:
Dark reddish-brown to brown color. Good clarity. Average to good head retention.
Flavor:
Malty, with fruity complexity and some caramelization character. A slight sourness may become more pronounced in well-aged examples, along with some sherry-like character, producing a "sweet-and-sour" profile. Hop flavor is low to none. Hop bitterness is restrained. Diacetyl is medium-low to none.
Mouthfeel:
Medium body. Some oak character may be present but not to the point of high astringency. The astringency should be like that of a wine, but no more than a well-aged red wine.
Overall Impression:
A malty, complex, aged, sour brown ale.
History:
An "old ale" tradition typified by the products of the Liefman's brewery in East Flanders, which has roots dating back to the 1600’s. Historically brewed as a "provision beer" which would develop some sourness as it aged.
Comments:
Long aging and blending of young and well-aged beer may occur, adding to smoothness and complexity. A deeper malt character and less of the sourness of lactic or acetic acid distinguishes these beers from Flanders red ales.
Ingredients:
A blend of Vienna and Munich malts are used as the base with smaller amounts of crystal malts also used. Ale yeast, Lactobacillus and some acetobacters may all contribute to the ferment and flavor. Water high in sodium bicarbonate is typical of its home region and may buffer the acidity of darker malts and the lactic sourness. As in fruit lambics, Oud Bruin can be used as a base for fruit-flavored beers such as kriek (cherries) or frambozen (raspberries).
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.042-1.060
IBUs: 14-25 FG: 1.008-1.016
SRM: 10-20 ABV: 4-5.8%
Commercial Examples:
Liefman's Goudenband, Felix, Roman.
20E. Flanders Red Ale
Aroma:
Deep complexity of fruitiness and malt. Sour or vinegary aroma may be present and there is often an oak aroma. No hop aroma. Diacetyl aroma moderately-low to none.
Appearance:
Deep red to reddish-brown in color. Good clarity. Average to good head retention.
Flavor:
Malty, with fruity complexity and balanced toward complex sourness/acidity. Hop flavor is low to none. Hop bitterness is restrained. Diacetyl low to none.
Mouthfeel:
Medium body. Some oak character is typical but not to the point of high astringency. The astringency should be like that of wine, but no more than a well-aged red wine.
Overall Impression:
A complex, sour, wine-like red ale.
History:
Typified by the products of the Rodenbach brewery established in 1820 in West Flanders, but reflective of earlier brewing traditions.
Comments:
Long aging and blending of young and well-aged beer may occur, adding to smoothness and complexity. More wine-like than perhaps any other beer style.
Ingredients:
A blend of Vienna and Munich malts are used as the base with smaller amounts of crystal malts also used. A complex mix of ale yeast, Lactobacillus and acetobacters all contribute to the ferment and flavor.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.042-1.060
IBUs: 14-25 FG: 1.008-1.016
SRM: 10-16 ABV: 4-5.8%
Commercial Examples:
Rodenbach and Rodenbach Grand Cru, Petrus, Bourgogne des Flandres, Vlaamse Bourgogne.
