Difference between revisions of "Culture vs. Chemistry"

From Lambic.Info
Jump to: navigation, search
(→‎The Process)
 
(50 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
__NOTOC__
+
[[File:LambicInfoDragon.png|right|375px]]
−
One of the most common debates surrounding lambic today is whether or not lambic can be produced outside of the Senne Valley. Minimally, there are three things to consider in trying to reach a satisfactory answer to this question: the product, the process, and the culture. This is a very controversial and multi-dimensional topic and as such, this article will read more like an editorial than an encyclopedia article. 
+
[[An_Overview_of_Lambic|← An Overview of Lambic]]
 +
==Culture vs. Chemistry==
 +
One of the most common debates surrounding lambic today is whether or not lambic can be produced outside of the Pajottenland. This is not a simple question as there is no clear right or wrong answer.  This write-up attempts to document the information regarding this issue. Minimally, there are four areas that impact this topic: terroir, process, regulations, and culture.
  
−
==The Product==
+
===Terroir===
  
−
Let’s look first at the finished product called lambic: Is it possible to create a finished product, outside of the Senne Valley or the country of Belgium, which is biochemically indistinguishable from traditional lambic?   
+
Is it possible to create a finished product, outside of the Pajottenland or the country of Belgium, which is biochemically indistinguishable from traditional lambic?   
−
Until the late 1800s, people assumed that the right combination of wild yeasts for lambic only existed in the Senne Valley.  Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, it was discovered that these yeasts already existed elsewhere in the world.  In 1904, Danish brewing scientist Niels Kjelte Claussen found the yeast Brettanomyces in English beer.  He presented his findings to the British Beer & Pub Association and later published them in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing.  Because he found these yeasts in British beers, he chose the name “brittanomyces” (the Greek word for “British fungus”).  However, a typesetter’s error has left us instead with the name “brettanomyces,” with an e. <ref name=“GeuzeKriek”>Jef Van den Steen, [[Books#Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of Lambic Beer|Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of Lambic Beer]], 2012</ref>
 
  
−
Since the yeasts for lambic are not geographically limited to the Senne Valley, what is keeping brewers, with more developed and scientifically-driven techniques, from replicating the ratios and quantities of the various strains of Brettanomyces which are found in traditional lambics and using them in the production of a beer outside of Belgium? In a word – nothing.  However, does this mean an American (or Brazilian or Croatian) lambic can be brewed?  Let’s defer that question for now and move on to the next topic, process.
+
Through the late 1800s, people assumed that the right combination of wild yeasts for lambic only existed in the Pajottenland.  Technically, in 1904, Danish brewing scientist Niels Kjelte Claussen discovered the first brettanomyces in an English beer.  He presented his findings to the British Beer & Pub Association and later published them in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing. Because he found these yeasts in British beers, he chose the name “brittanomyces” (the Greek word for “British fungus”).  However, a typesetter’s error changed this to “brettanomyces,” with an ''e''.<ref name=GeuzeKriek>Jef Van den Steen, [[Books#Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of lambic Beer|Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of Lambic Beer]], 2012</ref>
  
−
==The Process==
+
In spite of brettanomyces existing worldwide, it is still reasonable to assume that the combination and ratio of brettanomyces and other individual microorganisms within the Pajottenland are unique to the local terroir. For example, in 1993, Frank Boon was said to have discovered 86 unique strains that he believed played a significant role in the fermentation at [[Brouwerij_Boon|Boon]].<ref name=Lambic.digest-9312>Lambic Digest, December 2, 1993, http://lambic.info/lambic_digest/1993/9312.txt</ref>
  
−
As all lambic brewers will tell you, lambic is much more than the yeasts themselves. The brewing process for lambic is completely unique, and involves the following:
+
However, the naturally occurring yeasts at Boon are significantly different than yeasts occurring at Cantillon, for example.  Even the yeasts at an individual location will change over time. Cantillon is now surrounded by buildings, cars, and industry.  As cityscapes change so does the local terroir. The yeasts of 50 years ago at any location are likely different than the yeasts of today.  Even the yeasts and other microflora at other locations around the world have similar characteristics. Studies have shown that yeasts in other regions, such as the Allagash Brewery in Maine, have a similar makeup.<ref name=AWAStudy> Brewhouse-Resident Microbiota Are Responsible for Multi-Stage Fermentation of American Coolship Ale, http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035507</ref>
−
*The unique turbid mash brewing process
+
 
−
*An extended boil, designed to develop proteins and amino acids that protect against oxidation and acid formation, creating a wort where only certain micro-organisms can survive <ref name=“GeuzeKriek”>Jef Van den Steen, [[Books#Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of Lambic Beer|Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of Lambic Beer]], 2012</ref>  
+
While the yeast may not be tied to the Pajottenland, the term lambic is.  Lambic is traditionally a beer that has been spontaneously fermented in the Pajottenland. As [[An Overview of Lambic#History|history]] shows, this term and its regional use goes back hundreds of years. Other regions continue to develop terms, largely based on lambic, to identify the spontaneous fermentation that occurs in their local terroir (Sonambic at Russian River in California, Colorambic at AC Golden in Colorado). These naming designations help define the regional geography, culture, and experimentation occurring in their area. Belgian breweries and other breweries around the world do not always follow this designation however.  For example:
−
*A limited brewing season controlled by seasonal temperatures
+
* Belgian breweries outside of the Pajottenland spontaneously ferment a small portion of their beer within the Pajottenland and the remainder from another region. Given some of the legal definitions created later in this article, this does make the beer technically lambic, however it does not meet the cultural intent.
−
*The use of a koelschip and spontaneous fermentation
+
* Many international breweries are naming beers lambic by either using an artificially pitched small subset of the overall microorganisms found in the Pajottenland, or by doing their own regional spontaneous fermentation but failing to designate it in a unique way.
−
*Spontaneous fermentation in wooden barrels, ripe with wild yeast
+
 
 +
Finally, it is important to acknowledge that while in today’s day and age, it is possible for brewers, with more developed scientific techniques, to replicate the ratios and quantities of the various strains of Brettanomyces and other microorganisms outside of the Pajottenland. However, this would require significant study to replicate those regional microorganisms that affect the beer throughout the process, as opposed to just those that are present in the bottle in the later phases of fermentation.  It would require discipline and a strong traditional focus without significant deviation or experimentation.  And if these organisms were produced under laboratory-controlled conditions rather than spontaneously obtained, is it really lambic?
 +
 
 +
===Process===
 +
 
 +
Lambic is much more than the yeasts themselves. The [[Brewing Lambic|brewing process]] for lambic was regionally developed over hundreds of years and is specifically focused on creating the appropriate enzymes and nutrients for the wild yeasts to thrive and evolve the beer over multiple years.  No other beer in the world is produced using a similar process. 
 +
*The unique turbid mash brewing process, designed to develop proteins and amino acids that protect against oxidation and acid formation
 +
*An extended boil, creating a wort where only certain micro-organisms can survive.<ref name=GeuzeKriek />  
 +
*A limited brewing season controlled by seasonal temperatures to limit mold growth, acetic characteristics, and microorganisms that thrive in higher temperatures but negatively impact the beer
 +
*The use of a [[koelschip]] and other regionally developed spontaneous fermentation processes to expose the wort with the open air and regional microflora
 +
*Fermentation in wooden barrels, ripe with wild yeast
 
*The terroir of the building itself, from the ceiling to the floor as well as the local surroundings
 
*The terroir of the building itself, from the ceiling to the floor as well as the local surroundings
−
*A complex aging process, in which different wild yeasts impact the liquid differently at different phases of the beer’s development
+
*A complex aging process, in which the different wild yeasts impact the liquid uniquely at multiple phases of the beer’s development
−
*A blending process involving multiple barrels of lambic, often from multiple years, to create a product that will mature into something great
+
*A blending process involving multiple barrels of lambic, often from multiple years, to create a complex product capable of extended maturation.
  
−
This process is as much a tradition as a recipe. With the intense physical demands, constant attention and care required, and seasonal brewing cycles, being a lambic brewer is not just a job, but a way of life This is passed down from generation to generation.
+
This process is as much a tradition as a recipe. It is passed down from generation to generation as can be seen throughout the brewery histories described throughout this site.  Lambic brewing requires patience and structure, and does not lend itself to experimentation (at least during the brewing process…many lambic brewers and blenders experiment during blending).
  
−
Returning to our question of the viability of a non-Belgian lambic, let’s examine one step in the process of lambic brewing: spontaneous fermentation. A spontaneously fermented beer gets its yeast naturally from the air during the wort cooling process. This is perhaps the best known part of the lambic-brewing process, and every lambic brewer will tell you that if it is not spontaneously fermented, it is not a lambic. 
+
The entire process is needed to make lambic that can age gracefully and continue to develop as the microorganisms work through their various phases. It is certainly possible that spontaneously fermented beers following these processes can be produced anywhere, capturing the yeasts that are local to that geography. Jeff Sparrow reminisces in [[Books#Wild_Brews:_Culture_and_Craftsmanship_in_the_Belgian_Tradition|''Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition'']] of a conversation that he had with Jean-Pierre Van Roy:
−
Given the balance of yeasts found in the Senne Valley is a primary creator of lambic’s flavor profile, and that spontaneous fermentation is equally crucial to the proper production of lambic, any attempt to move lambic production elsewhere creates a tension between these two aspects of lambic brewing which were previously in perfect harmony. It forces the brewer to ask which is more important: the biochemical composition/yeast content or the method of brewing.  This is not a question that any lambic brewer in Belgium has to ask, or would want to. The brewer would be forced to ask himself: Which is more important: that lambic tastes like a lambic, or that lambic be made like a lambic?.  Which is more important: that lambic tastes like a lambic, or that lambic be made like a lambic?  In other words, what prevents someone from replicating all of the above?  From a scientific perspective…nothing.
 
  
−
Spontaneously fermented beers can be produced anywhere, following the brewing processes of a traditional lambic. Jeff Sparrow reminisces in [[Books#Wild_Brews:_Culture_and_Craftsmanship_in_the_Belgian_Tradition|''Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition'']] of a conversation that he had with Jean-Pierre Van Roy:
+
:: ''“But don’t despair; believe it or not, you can spontaneously ferment beer anywhere in the world. Jean-Pierre Van Roy of the Cantillon brewery in Brussels told me so on my first visit. I just didn’t know what to make of the statement at the time. Since then, Van Roy’s revelation has become a great deal clearer. Van Roy told me you must develop a taste for your own local lambic, although he never had to taste one result of his suggestion.”''<ref name=“WildBrews”>Jeff Sparrow, [[Books#Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition|Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition]], 2005</ref>
  
−
:: ''“But don’t despair; believe it or not, you can spontaneously ferment beer anywhere in the world. Jean-Pierre Van Roy of the Cantillon brewery in Brussels told me so on my first visit. I just didn’t know what to make of the statement at the time. Since then, Van Roy’s revelation has become a great deal clearer. Van Roy told me you must develop a taste for your own local lambic, although he never had to taste one result of his suggestion.”''<ref name=“WildBrews”>Jeff Sparrow, [[Books#Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition|Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition]], 2005</ref>
+
Despite the recent rise in the use of koelschips and spontaneous fermentation outside of Belgium, there is still significant variation in the processes and techniques used to produce a wide variety of new wild beers in other regions. These spontaneously fermented wild ales may have been brewed at a different time of the year, they may or may not have been brewed with a process designed to create nutrients for long-term yeast interaction, or they may have significant variations to the brewing process and techniques that yield a different outcome.  Each brewing decision, along with the regional terroir and microflora, help define that regional wild ale.
 +
 
 +
Finally, it is important to acknowledge that confusion and inconsistency over the brewing process of beers called lambic exists within Belgium as well.  Many Belgian brewers are creating a product with only minimal lambic (there is no limit to how little lambic must be in a beer in Belgium to be called lambic) and blending in other beer, juices, or adjuncts.
 +
 
 +
===Regulation===
 +
Naturally, Belgian brewers and lawmakers have wanted to protect and preserve their indigenous product.  Lambic has, like many other popular regional products throughout Europe, been regionally protected through law and decree. 
 +
* The first attempts to protect lambic date back to 1930.<ref name=TFP>Teresa de Noronha Vaz, [http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Production-Sustainable-Development-Geography/dp/0754674622/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410234809&sr=1-1 Traditional Food Production and Rural Sustainable Development (Ashgate Economic Geography Series)], 1998</ref>
 +
* In 1965, the Belgian government imposed restrictions on the use of the names Lambic, Geuze, and Kriek requiring spontaneous fermentation and the use of specific raw materials.<ref name=TFP>Teresa de Noronha Vaz, [http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Production-Sustainable-Development-Geography/dp/0754674622/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410234809&sr=1-1 Traditional Food Production and Rural Sustainable Development (Ashgate Economic Geography Series)], 1998</ref> This decree was abolished in 1993.
 +
* In 1993, a new royal decree was put in place. This decree specified that spontaneous fermentation must be part of the process and that wheat must be 30% of the grain bill. However, it did not specify how much of the beer needed to be lambic in order to carry the lambic name or specify any regional protections.
 +
* In 1997, five lambic related products were protected by being granted Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (“TSG”) status.  Within Europe, TSG protects the brewing style, however it again does not tie the beer specifically to a region. 
 +
* Since 2004, brewers of lambic can also apply for a regional label indicating that it is regional and traditional.<ref name=streekproduct>http://www.streekproduct.be</ref>
 +
 
 +
These laws, while an honest attempt to protect lambic, did not accomplish the intended goal. Because there were so many competing interests, even among the traditional lambic producers, these resulting laws and decrees had many gaps.  First, there was no regional protection. Second, there was no definition surrounding the term lambic regarding issues like how much of a beer must be spontaneously fermented, or if artificial sweeteners or syrups could be used, or other issues.
  
−
Despite the recent rise in the use of coolships and spontaneous fermentation outside of Belgium, there is still significant variation in the processes and techniques used to produce these new wild ales in other regions. With this experimentation comes a wide variety of wild ales. Nothing, in theory, prevents brewers from precisely replicating the process of lambic brewing used in Belgium elsewhere, or from using the same yeasts in the same ratios as they are found in the Senne Valley in their brewing process. However, often wild ales lack the complexity, or do not age and develop in the bottle well, or are significantly out of balance. They taste very different from a traditional lambic. Often, these beers are brewed specifically with sour as a goal, as opposed to allowing the beer to develop naturally in a variety of ways, with a tartness being one of those bi-products.
+
While these laws and decrees did not achieve the goals of protecting lambic, that was certainly their intent. A lack of specificity and enforceability in these laws does not indicate that instead, the legal bodies are endorsing non-traditional beers as lambic.
  
−
==The Culture==
+
===Culture===
 +
One of the most unique aspects of lambic in Belgium is its [[An Overview of Lambic#History|history]] and culture. It makes sense that the regional brewers have striven to protect this.  At the same time, given the success of lambic, it is also not surprising that many breweries, both in Belgium and the rest of the world, have sought to capitalize on the name.
  
−
One of the most unique aspects of lambic in Belgium is its attendant culture – both that in which it has grown up, and that which has grown up around it.  Lambic is both a reflection of Belgian terroir and culture and a contributor to that same culture.  Naturally, Belgian brewers and lawmakers have wanted to protect and preserve their indigenous product.  Lambic has, like many other popular regional products throughout Europe, been regionally protected through law and decree.  In 1997, a variety of lambic related products were protected by being granted Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (“TSG”) status.  Within Europe, this does protect the brewing style, however it does not tie the beer specifically to a region. There are also regular references to lambic having been protected by Royal Decree in 1965. <sup>[Citation Needed]</sup> 
+
From a cultural perspective, can lambic be replicated?  Lambic represents:
 +
* Hundreds of years of history
 +
* A culture that identified the unique natural characteristics of a region and leveraged this terroir to produce a product unlike any other
 +
* A unique localized brewing style where each step was developed specifically to capture and enhance the effects of the region
 +
* Family brewers and blenders
 +
* Hundreds of regional breweries that have come and gone,  
 +
* A culture where café blenders would buy wort and create their own lambic
 +
* An annual pilgrimage of beer geeks worldwide who journey to Belgium to experience lambic
  
−
From a cultural perspective, can lambic be replicated?  Lambic represents hundreds of years of history. It represents a culture that identified the unique natural characteristics of a region and leveraged this terrior to produce a product unlike any other.  It represents a completely unique localized brewing style where each step was developed specifically to capture and enhance the effects of the region. It represents hundreds of years of family history, breweries that have come and gone, and a culture where bars and restaurants would buy wort and create their own lambic.  It represents the annual pilgrimage of beer geeks worldwide who journey to Belgium to experience lambic.
+
There is no other beer like this in the world, where every characteristic of the brewing, blending, aging and serving process is completely unique. While the lambic style is regularly imitated, minimized, and commercialized, there is nothing outside of lambic brewed traditionally in the Pajottenland that can truly capture what lambic represents.
  
−
==Conclusion==
+
==Summary==
 +
Brewers are ingenious.  They have and will continue to brew wild ales in other regions, either through the use of that region’s local terroir or through chemistry and microbiology.  They will follow many of the steps described above that are unique to lambic.  And beyond that, they will experiment and make their own beers, changing the process to create their own unique beverages. Experimentation is good and should be encouraged.  We do hope however, that brewers truly attempting to create a Belgian style lambic respect this amazing style, create a product that can stand the test of time, and strive to brew a complex beer that is much more than just “sour” or “funky”.  We hope that they respect the regional history of the Belgian lambic itself, and instead make their own wild ales, indigenous to their own region, brewery and history.
  
−
Brewers are ingenious. They have and will continue to brew wild ales in other regions, either through the use of that region’s local terrior or through chemistry and microbiology. They will follow many of the steps described above that are unique to lambic.  But beyond that, they experiment and make their own beers, changing the process to create their own unique beverages.
+
Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to know what they are drinking, to understand the ingredients and the brewing process. The name lambic will continue to be capitalized on and exploited; there will continue to be non-traditional beers released that incorrectly use this name. There will be people who argue with the point of view presented here or try to shape the argument in their favor for capitalistic gain.
  
−
We encourage their experimentation.  We do hope however, that brewers truly attempting to create a Belgian style lambic respect this amazing style, that they create a product that can stand the test of time, and that they create a complex beer that’s much more than just “sour” or “funky”. We hope that they respect the regional history of the Belgian lambic itself, and instead make their own wild ales, indigenous to their region and brewery.
+
Ask questions.  Learn more. Understand the ingredients of the beer that you are drinking. Use this wiki and the other lambic [[Home#Learn_More|resources]] referenced to educate yourself.
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
<references />
 
<references />

Latest revision as of 16:08, 19 February 2017

LambicInfoDragon.png

← An Overview of Lambic

Culture vs. Chemistry

One of the most common debates surrounding lambic today is whether or not lambic can be produced outside of the Pajottenland. This is not a simple question as there is no clear right or wrong answer. This write-up attempts to document the information regarding this issue. Minimally, there are four areas that impact this topic: terroir, process, regulations, and culture.

Terroir

Is it possible to create a finished product, outside of the Pajottenland or the country of Belgium, which is biochemically indistinguishable from traditional lambic?

Through the late 1800s, people assumed that the right combination of wild yeasts for lambic only existed in the Pajottenland. Technically, in 1904, Danish brewing scientist Niels Kjelte Claussen discovered the first brettanomyces in an English beer. He presented his findings to the British Beer & Pub Association and later published them in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing. Because he found these yeasts in British beers, he chose the name “brittanomyces” (the Greek word for “British fungus”). However, a typesetter’s error changed this to “brettanomyces,” with an e.[1]

In spite of brettanomyces existing worldwide, it is still reasonable to assume that the combination and ratio of brettanomyces and other individual microorganisms within the Pajottenland are unique to the local terroir. For example, in 1993, Frank Boon was said to have discovered 86 unique strains that he believed played a significant role in the fermentation at Boon.[2]

However, the naturally occurring yeasts at Boon are significantly different than yeasts occurring at Cantillon, for example. Even the yeasts at an individual location will change over time. Cantillon is now surrounded by buildings, cars, and industry. As cityscapes change so does the local terroir. The yeasts of 50 years ago at any location are likely different than the yeasts of today. Even the yeasts and other microflora at other locations around the world have similar characteristics. Studies have shown that yeasts in other regions, such as the Allagash Brewery in Maine, have a similar makeup.[3]

While the yeast may not be tied to the Pajottenland, the term lambic is. Lambic is traditionally a beer that has been spontaneously fermented in the Pajottenland. As history shows, this term and its regional use goes back hundreds of years. Other regions continue to develop terms, largely based on lambic, to identify the spontaneous fermentation that occurs in their local terroir (Sonambic at Russian River in California, Colorambic at AC Golden in Colorado). These naming designations help define the regional geography, culture, and experimentation occurring in their area. Belgian breweries and other breweries around the world do not always follow this designation however. For example:

  • Belgian breweries outside of the Pajottenland spontaneously ferment a small portion of their beer within the Pajottenland and the remainder from another region. Given some of the legal definitions created later in this article, this does make the beer technically lambic, however it does not meet the cultural intent.
  • Many international breweries are naming beers lambic by either using an artificially pitched small subset of the overall microorganisms found in the Pajottenland, or by doing their own regional spontaneous fermentation but failing to designate it in a unique way.

Finally, it is important to acknowledge that while in today’s day and age, it is possible for brewers, with more developed scientific techniques, to replicate the ratios and quantities of the various strains of Brettanomyces and other microorganisms outside of the Pajottenland. However, this would require significant study to replicate those regional microorganisms that affect the beer throughout the process, as opposed to just those that are present in the bottle in the later phases of fermentation. It would require discipline and a strong traditional focus without significant deviation or experimentation. And if these organisms were produced under laboratory-controlled conditions rather than spontaneously obtained, is it really lambic?

Process

Lambic is much more than the yeasts themselves. The brewing process for lambic was regionally developed over hundreds of years and is specifically focused on creating the appropriate enzymes and nutrients for the wild yeasts to thrive and evolve the beer over multiple years. No other beer in the world is produced using a similar process.

  • The unique turbid mash brewing process, designed to develop proteins and amino acids that protect against oxidation and acid formation
  • An extended boil, creating a wort where only certain micro-organisms can survive.[1]
  • A limited brewing season controlled by seasonal temperatures to limit mold growth, acetic characteristics, and microorganisms that thrive in higher temperatures but negatively impact the beer
  • The use of a koelschip and other regionally developed spontaneous fermentation processes to expose the wort with the open air and regional microflora
  • Fermentation in wooden barrels, ripe with wild yeast
  • The terroir of the building itself, from the ceiling to the floor as well as the local surroundings
  • A complex aging process, in which the different wild yeasts impact the liquid uniquely at multiple phases of the beer’s development
  • A blending process involving multiple barrels of lambic, often from multiple years, to create a complex product capable of extended maturation.

This process is as much a tradition as a recipe. It is passed down from generation to generation as can be seen throughout the brewery histories described throughout this site. Lambic brewing requires patience and structure, and does not lend itself to experimentation (at least during the brewing process…many lambic brewers and blenders experiment during blending).

The entire process is needed to make lambic that can age gracefully and continue to develop as the microorganisms work through their various phases. It is certainly possible that spontaneously fermented beers following these processes can be produced anywhere, capturing the yeasts that are local to that geography. Jeff Sparrow reminisces in Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition of a conversation that he had with Jean-Pierre Van Roy:

“But don’t despair; believe it or not, you can spontaneously ferment beer anywhere in the world. Jean-Pierre Van Roy of the Cantillon brewery in Brussels told me so on my first visit. I just didn’t know what to make of the statement at the time. Since then, Van Roy’s revelation has become a great deal clearer. Van Roy told me you must develop a taste for your own local lambic, although he never had to taste one result of his suggestion.”[4]

Despite the recent rise in the use of koelschips and spontaneous fermentation outside of Belgium, there is still significant variation in the processes and techniques used to produce a wide variety of new wild beers in other regions. These spontaneously fermented wild ales may have been brewed at a different time of the year, they may or may not have been brewed with a process designed to create nutrients for long-term yeast interaction, or they may have significant variations to the brewing process and techniques that yield a different outcome. Each brewing decision, along with the regional terroir and microflora, help define that regional wild ale.

Finally, it is important to acknowledge that confusion and inconsistency over the brewing process of beers called lambic exists within Belgium as well. Many Belgian brewers are creating a product with only minimal lambic (there is no limit to how little lambic must be in a beer in Belgium to be called lambic) and blending in other beer, juices, or adjuncts.

Regulation

Naturally, Belgian brewers and lawmakers have wanted to protect and preserve their indigenous product. Lambic has, like many other popular regional products throughout Europe, been regionally protected through law and decree.

  • The first attempts to protect lambic date back to 1930.[5]
  • In 1965, the Belgian government imposed restrictions on the use of the names Lambic, Geuze, and Kriek requiring spontaneous fermentation and the use of specific raw materials.[5] This decree was abolished in 1993.
  • In 1993, a new royal decree was put in place. This decree specified that spontaneous fermentation must be part of the process and that wheat must be 30% of the grain bill. However, it did not specify how much of the beer needed to be lambic in order to carry the lambic name or specify any regional protections.
  • In 1997, five lambic related products were protected by being granted Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (“TSG”) status. Within Europe, TSG protects the brewing style, however it again does not tie the beer specifically to a region.
  • Since 2004, brewers of lambic can also apply for a regional label indicating that it is regional and traditional.[6]

These laws, while an honest attempt to protect lambic, did not accomplish the intended goal. Because there were so many competing interests, even among the traditional lambic producers, these resulting laws and decrees had many gaps. First, there was no regional protection. Second, there was no definition surrounding the term lambic regarding issues like how much of a beer must be spontaneously fermented, or if artificial sweeteners or syrups could be used, or other issues.

While these laws and decrees did not achieve the goals of protecting lambic, that was certainly their intent. A lack of specificity and enforceability in these laws does not indicate that instead, the legal bodies are endorsing non-traditional beers as lambic.

Culture

One of the most unique aspects of lambic in Belgium is its history and culture. It makes sense that the regional brewers have striven to protect this. At the same time, given the success of lambic, it is also not surprising that many breweries, both in Belgium and the rest of the world, have sought to capitalize on the name.

From a cultural perspective, can lambic be replicated? Lambic represents:

  • Hundreds of years of history
  • A culture that identified the unique natural characteristics of a region and leveraged this terroir to produce a product unlike any other
  • A unique localized brewing style where each step was developed specifically to capture and enhance the effects of the region
  • Family brewers and blenders
  • Hundreds of regional breweries that have come and gone,
  • A culture where café blenders would buy wort and create their own lambic
  • An annual pilgrimage of beer geeks worldwide who journey to Belgium to experience lambic

There is no other beer like this in the world, where every characteristic of the brewing, blending, aging and serving process is completely unique. While the lambic style is regularly imitated, minimized, and commercialized, there is nothing outside of lambic brewed traditionally in the Pajottenland that can truly capture what lambic represents.

Summary

Brewers are ingenious. They have and will continue to brew wild ales in other regions, either through the use of that region’s local terroir or through chemistry and microbiology. They will follow many of the steps described above that are unique to lambic. And beyond that, they will experiment and make their own beers, changing the process to create their own unique beverages. Experimentation is good and should be encouraged. We do hope however, that brewers truly attempting to create a Belgian style lambic respect this amazing style, create a product that can stand the test of time, and strive to brew a complex beer that is much more than just “sour” or “funky”. We hope that they respect the regional history of the Belgian lambic itself, and instead make their own wild ales, indigenous to their own region, brewery and history.

Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to know what they are drinking, to understand the ingredients and the brewing process. The name lambic will continue to be capitalized on and exploited; there will continue to be non-traditional beers released that incorrectly use this name. There will be people who argue with the point of view presented here or try to shape the argument in their favor for capitalistic gain.

Ask questions. Learn more. Understand the ingredients of the beer that you are drinking. Use this wiki and the other lambic resources referenced to educate yourself.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jef Van den Steen, Geuze & Kriek: The Secret of Lambic Beer, 2012
  2. ↑ Lambic Digest, December 2, 1993, http://lambic.info/lambic_digest/1993/9312.txt
  3. ↑ Brewhouse-Resident Microbiota Are Responsible for Multi-Stage Fermentation of American Coolship Ale, http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035507
  4. ↑ Jeff Sparrow, Wild Brews: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition, 2005
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Teresa de Noronha Vaz, Traditional Food Production and Rural Sustainable Development (Ashgate Economic Geography Series), 1998
  6. ↑ http://www.streekproduct.be
Retrieved from "http://www.Lambic.Info/index.php?title=Culture_vs._Chemistry&oldid=13677"