Carbonation in Lambic: Difference between revisions

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Carbonation forms one of the most important parts of the lambic-drinking experience. Unlike most other styles for which carbonation only exists in a narrow ~~bandb~~ of concentrations, lambics span the range from entirely still to some of the most carbonated beers brewed anywhere in the world[~~CraftBeerPDF~~, ~~PrinciplesOfBrewingScience,GuinardLambic~~]. Further, lambics with unplanned carbonation states, such as the "Loerik" or "Lazy" and "Doesjel" or "snoozer" ~~guezes~~ (examples from [[Cantillon_Loerik|Cantillon]], [[Lindemans_Loerik|Lindemans]], and two from 3 Fonteinen, [[3_Fonteinen_Doesjel|1]] [[3_Fonteinen_Golden_Doesjel|2]]) that fail to carbonate as normal, are often highly sought-after, and some otherwise-still lambics may carbonate over long years of ageing. Carbonation may also decrease as CO2 can escape from a bottle, particularly over long timescales where the cork may become compromised.

Carbonation forms one of the most important parts of the lambic-drinking experience. Unlike most other styles for which carbonation only exists in a narrow band of concentrations, lambics span the range from entirely still to some of the most carbonated beers brewed anywhere in the world. <ref name='Guinard'>Jean-Xavier Guinard, [[Books#Classic_Beer_Styles:_Lambic|Classic Beer Styles: Lambic]], 1990.</ref>[https://www.craftbeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/craftbeerdotcom-beer-styles.pdf [2]] Further, lambics with unplanned carbonation states, such as the "Loerik" or "Lazy" and "Doesjel" or "snoozer" gueuzes (examples from [[Cantillon_Loerik|Cantillon]], [[Lindemans_Loerik|Lindemans]], and two from 3 Fonteinen, [[3_Fonteinen_Doesjel|1]] [[3_Fonteinen_Golden_Doesjel|2]]) that fail to carbonate as normal, are often highly sought-after, and some otherwise-still lambics may carbonate over long years of ageing. Carbonation may also decrease as CO2 can escape from a bottle, particularly over long timescales where the cork may become compromised.

==Overview==

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Carbonation is formed by the dissolution of CO2 in a liquid. The CO2 may be present as the result of microbial action, or from being forced into the liquid from an external source. In lambic, only the former is traditionally responsible for carbonation in bottles, but the latter may be used, at least to some extent, to force the beer out of a keg or to augment the carbonation in the bottle.

The primary microbial source of carbon dioxide and thus the primary source of the gas in lambic is the fermentation of sugars into ethanol by yeasts. Thus, the production of alcohol correlates well with the production of CO2 and sacharomyces is the primary producer of carbonation in lambic with brettanomyces in a distant second [~~REF~~].

The primary microbial source of carbon dioxide and thus the primary source of the gas in lambic is the fermentation of sugars into ethanol by yeasts. Thus, the production of alcohol correlates well with the production of CO2 and sacharomyces is the primary producer of carbonation in lambic with brettanomyces in a distant second [Brewhouse Resident, Old VanOlevan, Milk the Funk(?)].

==The Formation of Carbonation in Lambic==

Carbonation in lambic, as in most beer, is primarily due to the fermentation of simple sugars by saccharomyces [~~REF~~]. For glucose, this reaction's overall form is:

Carbonation in lambic, as in most beer, is primarily due to the fermentation of simple sugars by saccharomyces [Yeast book]. For glucose, this reaction's overall form is:

C6H12O6 --> 2CO2 + 2C2H6O + energy

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Measurements of carbonation can be reported in volumes of CO2 dissolved in an equal volume of the beer. Taking the ratio of the two, we arrive at a dimensionless number called "volumes of CO2". So if one liter of carbon dioxide at cellar temperature and pressure ("CTP", 55 F, 1 atm) is dissolved in one liter of lambic, we may say that this beer contains "one volume of CO2". As the molar volume of CO2 at CTP is 0.043 mol/l [NIST WEBBOOK], we can convert from "volumes of CO2" to molarity by multiplying the former by 0.043. Note that this measures the volume of CO2 applied (or recoverable from the beer once made still), and thus the total carbon in the system irrespective of whether it's in the form of aqueous CO2, carbonic acid, or any of its deprotonations.

Lambic ranges from still lambic with 0 volumes of CO2 (0 molar) to upwards of 6 volumes of CO2 (0.2 molar) in the case of some highly-carbonated guezes ~~[REF]~~.

Lambic ranges from still lambic with 0 volumes of CO2 (0 molar) to upwards of 6 volumes of CO2 (0.2 molar) in the case of some highly-carbonated guezes.

Measurements of carbonation in lambic are shown below along with selected other styles and carbonated beverages for comparison:

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Because brettanomyces may produce carbonation, but has much slower growth rates than saccharomyces, it is likely that the slow months-to-years carbonation that builds in lazy lambic is due to the action of brett which may work on similar time frames.

It is possible, though less likely, that more complex sugars are being slowly broken down into more simple sugars which saccharomyces may then consume. Some bacteria may excrete simple sugars during their metabolism of more complex sugars, or may simply synthesize them as a storage compound which they release upon lysing[~~REF~~]. Enzymes released by brett or other organisms during lysis may also break down complex sugars [REF]. As priming sugar may re-start saccharomyces fermentation in the bottle [REF], it would stand to reason that the slow re-introduction of simple sugars either by their synthesis or by the cleaving of sugar monomers off of higher-order carbohydrates would lead to carbonation by saccharomyces fermentation with the former cleaving step being rate-limiting.

It is possible, though less likely, that more complex sugars are being slowly broken down into more simple sugars which saccharomyces may then consume. Some bacteria may excrete simple sugars during their metabolism of more complex sugars, or may simply synthesize them as a storage compound which they release upon lysing[http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.430.7951&rep=rep1&type=pdf]. Enzymes released by brett or other organisms during lysis may also break down complex sugars [REF]. As priming sugar may re-start saccharomyces fermentation in the bottle [REF], it would stand to reason that the slow re-introduction of simple sugars either by their synthesis or by the cleaving of sugar monomers off of higher-order carbohydrates would lead to carbonation by saccharomyces fermentation with the former cleaving step being rate-limiting.

In some rare cases, intentionally-still lambic has been reported to have carbonated after years of ageing [REF]. Reasons for this are also unknown, but are likely similar to how lazy lambic carbonates over long time frames.

==References==

Pines, D.; et al. How Acidic is Carbonic Acid? J. Phys. Chem. B, 2016, 120 (9), pp 2440–2451

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-Carbonation forms one of the most important parts of the lambic-drinking experience. Unlike most other styles for which carbonation only exists in a narrow bandb of concentrations, lambics span the range from entirely still to some of the most carbonated beers brewed anywhere in the world[CraftBeerPDF, PrinciplesOfBrewingScience,GuinardLambic]. Further, lambics with unplanned carbonation states, such as the "Loerik" or "Lazy" and "Doesjel" or "snoozer" guezes (examples from [[Cantillon_Loerik|Cantillon]], [[Lindemans_Loerik|Lindemans]], and two from 3 Fonteinen, [[3_Fonteinen_Doesjel|1]] [[3_Fonteinen_Golden_Doesjel|2]]) that fail to carbonate as normal, are often highly sought-after, and some otherwise-still lambics may carbonate over long years of ageing. Carbonation may also decrease as CO<sub>2</sub> can escape from a bottle, particularly over long timescales where the cork may become compromised.
+Carbonation forms one of the most important parts of the lambic-drinking experience. Unlike most other styles for which carbonation only exists in a narrow band of concentrations, lambics span the range from entirely still to some of the most carbonated beers brewed anywhere in the world. <ref name='Guinard'>Jean-Xavier Guinard, [[Books#Classic_Beer_Styles:_Lambic|Classic Beer Styles: Lambic]], 1990.</ref>[https://www.craftbeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/craftbeerdotcom-beer-styles.pdf [2]] Further, lambics with unplanned carbonation states, such as the "Loerik" or "Lazy" and "Doesjel" or "snoozer" gueuzes (examples from [[Cantillon_Loerik|Cantillon]], [[Lindemans_Loerik|Lindemans]], and two from 3 Fonteinen, [[3_Fonteinen_Doesjel|1]] [[3_Fonteinen_Golden_Doesjel|2]]) that fail to carbonate as normal, are often highly sought-after, and some otherwise-still lambics may carbonate over long years of ageing. Carbonation may also decrease as CO<sub>2</sub> can escape from a bottle, particularly over long timescales where the cork may become compromised.
 ==Overview==
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Carbonation is formed by the dissolution of CO<sub>2</sub> in a liquid. The CO<sub>2</sub> may be present as the result of microbial action, or from being forced into the liquid from an external source. In lambic, only the former is traditionally responsible for carbonation in bottles, but the latter may be used, at least to some extent, to force the beer out of a keg or to augment the carbonation in the bottle.
-The primary microbial source of carbon dioxide and thus the primary source of the gas in lambic is the fermentation of sugars into ethanol by yeasts. Thus, the production of alcohol correlates well with the production of CO<sub>2</sub> and sacharomyces is the primary producer of carbonation in lambic with brettanomyces in a distant second [REF].
+The primary microbial source of carbon dioxide and thus the primary source of the gas in lambic is the fermentation of sugars into ethanol by yeasts. Thus, the production of alcohol correlates well with the production of CO<sub>2</sub> and sacharomyces is the primary producer of carbonation in lambic with brettanomyces in a distant second [Brewhouse Resident, Old VanOlevan, Milk the Funk(?)].
 ==The Formation of Carbonation in Lambic==
-Carbonation in lambic, as in most beer, is primarily due to the fermentation of simple sugars by saccharomyces [REF]. For glucose, this reaction's overall form is:
+Carbonation in lambic, as in most beer, is primarily due to the fermentation of simple sugars by saccharomyces [Yeast book]. For glucose, this reaction's overall form is:
 C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>12</sub>O<sub>6</sub> --> 2CO<sub>2</sub> + 2C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O + energy
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 Measurements of carbonation can be reported in volumes of CO<sub>2</sub> dissolved in an equal volume of the beer. Taking the ratio of the two, we arrive at a dimensionless number called "volumes of CO<sub>2</sub>". So if one liter of carbon dioxide at cellar temperature and pressure ("CTP", 55 F, 1 atm) is dissolved in one liter of lambic, we may say that this beer contains "one volume of CO<sub>2</sub>". As the molar volume of CO<sub>2</sub> at CTP is 0.043 mol/l [NIST WEBBOOK], we can convert from "volumes of CO<sub>2</sub>" to molarity by multiplying the former by 0.043. Note that this measures the volume of CO<sub>2</sub> applied (or recoverable from the beer once made still), and thus the total carbon in the system irrespective of whether it's in the form of aqueous CO<sub>2</sub>, carbonic acid, or any of its deprotonations.
-Lambic ranges from still lambic with 0 volumes of CO<sub>2</sub> (0 molar) to upwards of 6 volumes of CO<sub>2</sub> (0.2 molar) in the case of some highly-carbonated guezes [REF].
+Lambic ranges from still lambic with 0 volumes of CO<sub>2</sub> (0 molar) to upwards of 6 volumes of CO<sub>2</sub> (0.2 molar) in the case of some highly-carbonated guezes.
 Measurements of carbonation in lambic are shown below along with selected other styles and carbonated beverages for comparison:
@@ Line 201: / Line 201: @@
 Because brettanomyces may produce carbonation, but has much slower growth rates than saccharomyces, it is likely that the slow months-to-years carbonation that builds in lazy lambic is due to the action of brett which may work on similar time frames.
-It is possible, though less likely, that more complex sugars are being slowly broken down into more simple sugars which saccharomyces may then consume. Some bacteria may excrete simple sugars during their metabolism of more complex sugars, or may simply synthesize them as a storage compound which they release upon lysing[REF]. Enzymes released by brett or other organisms during lysis may also break down complex sugars [REF]. As priming sugar may re-start saccharomyces fermentation in the bottle [REF], it would stand to reason that the slow re-introduction of simple sugars either by their synthesis or by the cleaving of sugar monomers off of higher-order carbohydrates would lead to carbonation by saccharomyces fermentation with the former cleaving step being rate-limiting.
+It is possible, though less likely, that more complex sugars are being slowly broken down into more simple sugars which saccharomyces may then consume. Some bacteria may excrete simple sugars during their metabolism of more complex sugars, or may simply synthesize them as a storage compound which they release upon lysing[http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.430.7951&rep=rep1&type=pdf]. Enzymes released by brett or other organisms during lysis may also break down complex sugars [REF]. As priming sugar may re-start saccharomyces fermentation in the bottle [REF], it would stand to reason that the slow re-introduction of simple sugars either by their synthesis or by the cleaving of sugar monomers off of higher-order carbohydrates would lead to carbonation by saccharomyces fermentation with the former cleaving step being rate-limiting.
 In some rare cases, intentionally-still lambic has been reported to have carbonated after years of ageing [REF]. Reasons for this are also unknown, but are likely similar to how lazy lambic carbonates over long time frames.
+==References==
 Pines, D.; et al. How Acidic is Carbonic Acid? J. Phys. Chem. B, 2016, 120 (9), pp 2440–2451