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<font size="3">'''Preparation'''</font>
A beechwood twig brush called a ramon is used to scrub out the sediments, and, as needed, the barrel can be scraped clean by spinning sharpened chains inside it. The barrels washed with hot water and steam to sanitize and prepare them for use. If they are to be stored empty, sulfur is burned in them to preserve their sanitation. Because wooden barrels tend to carry microbiological agents, the extent to which the barrel is cleaned significantly impact the beer that it produces. Sanatiation of barrels is extremely important as the process used lead to substantial variation in the beer produced. <ref name=LambicTreasure>Lambic: Belgium's Unique Treasure, http://morebeer.com/articles/lambicbrewing</ref>
<font size="3">'''Initial Fermentation'''</font>
==Pasteurization==
In 1865 Louis Pasteur "discovered that heating beer and wine just enough to kill most of the bacteria that caused spoilage prevented these beverages from turning sour. This was achieved by eliminating pathogenic microbes and lowering microbial numbers to prolong the quality of the beverage." <ref name=pasteurwiki>Pasteurization, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization</ref>
Some lambic brewers choose to pasteurize their product prior to the completion of secondary fermentation. This allows for a sweeter product, retaining a lambic or gueuzes residual sugars and, in the case of a fruited lambic, the sweet fruit flavors. It also eliminates refermentation in the bottle and minimizes other changes to the beer, allowing industrial lambic producers to ensure a more consistent product that does not continue to develop.