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Lambic, like wine, is most commonly stored on it's side. This expands the surface area of the beer that is in contact with the oxygen in the bottle. It also places the beer in contact with the cork. The cork will remain moist even if the bottle is upright because of the 100% humidity in the bottle, however storing the bottle sideways may still have an effect on the ullage of a beer by keeping the cork in contact with liquid rather than air. The flip side though is that if the cork breaks down with age, direct contact between the beer and cork can lead to Trichloroanisole (TCA) "corked" flavors in the beer. Brewers continue to experiment with corks and invest in higher quality corks that should allow for better aging of lambic in the future.
Lambic also contains natural yeasts and microorganisms which can lead to considerable sediment in the bottle while it ages. Fruits can further contribute to the sediment in a bottle. By storing the beer on it's side, the yeasts will settle along the side of the bottle. When a basket is used for serving, the bottle is kept on it's side, allowing the yeast to stay in this state and reducing what sediment gets poured into the glass. Side storing lambic is not a steadfast rule, however. Many [[Brouwerij Boon|Boon]] beers specifically state on the label to store them upright. No long-term controlled studies have been done to prove the benefits of upright vs horizontal aging of Lambic.
==Culture vs. Chemistry==