Changes

Lambic production employs a time and labor-intensive mashing process known as turbid mashing. Belgian legal structure in the 1800s favored mashing procedures like turbid mashing as they allowed for a lower water to grain ratio to be used while more effectively extracting carbohydrates from the grain.<ref name='Johnson 1918'>G.M. Johnson, 1918. A Belgian mashing system suitable for light beers. Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 24(6) 237-251.</ref> Turbid mashing involves the removal of mash runnings before the mash is completed. These turbid runnings have not been fully converted in the mash and therefore they contribute complex carbohydrates and proteins to lambic wort which can feed a diverse community of yeast and bacteria during the long lambic fermentation process.<ref name='Guinard'>Jean-Xavier Guinard, [[Books#Classic_Beer_Styles:_Lambic|Classic Beer Styles: Lambic]], 1990.</ref><ref name='Fix, G.'> Fix, G. Principles of Brewing Science, 2nd Ed, 1999. Brewers Publications, Boulder, Co.</ref>

Although turbid mashing may be beneficial to the specific conditions of lambic fermentation, and lambic is one of the last remaining beers to use this process commercially, the method and similar mashing procedures were used historically for a variety of different beers in Belgium and northern France (e.g. bière de garde<ref name='Evans, 1905>R.E. Evans, 1905. The beer and brewing systems of Northern France. Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 11(3) 223-238.</ref>). Among Belgian beers using turbid mashing were low ABV beers which were not intended for long aging.<ref name='Johnson 1918'>G.M. Johnson, 1918. A Belgian mashing system suitable for light beers. Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 24(6) 237-251.</ref> In comparison to the single infusion system of mashing favored in England, or even multiple step infusion mashes without the removal of turbid wort, Belgian brewers around 1900 felt that turbid mashing resulted in beers with a fuller body and richer flavor development.<ref name='Johnson 1918'>G.M. Johnson, 1918. A Belgian mashing system suitable for light beers. Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 24(6) 237-251.</ref><ref name='Johnson 1895'>G.M. Johnson, 1895. Brewing in Belgium and Belgian Beers. Journal of the Federated Institutes of Brewing. 1(5) 450-470.</ref>