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==Geographical variation==
The rapid reproduction of the microorganisms found in lambic also lends to them the ability to evolve on much shorter timescales than those of macroorganisms. Combined with the flora found in lambic (and other spontaneous fermentations) being largely resident inside each brewery,<ref name=AWAs> Nicholas A. Bokulich, Charles W. Bamforth, David A. Mills. [http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035507 | Brewhouse-Resident Microbiota Are Responsible for Multi-Stage Fermentation of American Coolship Ale], PLoS One, 7(4), 2012</ref><ref name=Oevelen77 >D. Van Oevelen, M. Spaepen, P. Timmermans and H. Verachtert, [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2050-0416.1977.tb03825.x/abstract|MICROBIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SPONTANEOUS WORT FERMENTATION IN THE PRODUCTION OF LAMBIC AND GUEUZE], 1977</ref> it is reasonable to assume that even the slight geographic separation found between the facilities within the Pajottenland will lead to markedly different strains of the bacteria and yeasts responsible for lambic fermentation after several years of operation. Further, brettanomyces isolated from different sources from the same location have shown significant genetic variability<ref name=Crauwels1> S. Crawels et. al. [http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00253-015-6769-9| Comparative phenomics and targeted use of genomics reveals variation in carbon and nitrogen assimilation among different Brettanomyces bruxellensis strains], 2015</ref> <ref name=Borneman1> A. Borneman et. al. [http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1004161| Insights into the Dekkera bruxellensis Genomic Landscape: Comparative Genomics Reveals Variations in Ploidy and Nutrient Utilisation Potential amongst Wine Isolates], 2014</ref>, indicating that slightly different handling methodologies and even the surrounding architecture may have an effect on the final product. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that at least part of the distinct flavors found in the lambics of each brewery are due to divergent evolution in their respective microbiomes,<ref name = Witrick1> K. A. T. Witrick [https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/19203| Characterization of aroma and flavor compounds present in lambic (gueuze) beer], 2012 </ref> though little literature currently exists in this area. For other breweries, "house strains" developed by propagating favorite yeasts often over a period of years and even decades is commonplace, and often accounts for much of a brewery's specific taste.
Conversely, it has been found that spontaneous fermentations in similar worts in other parts of the world follow similar overall trends.<ref name=AWAs> Nicholas A. Bokulich, Charles W. Bamforth, David A. Mills. [http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035507 | Brewhouse-Resident Microbiota Are Responsible for Multi-Stage Fermentation of American Coolship Ale], PLoS One, 7(4), 2012</ref> Yeasts such as Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces and bacteria such as the enterobacteria and Pediococcus are cosmopolitan throughout the world, and all are similar enough to be classified into the same genus by both phenotype and genotype. However, the large degree of geographic separation coupled with the rapid evolutionary rates of these organisms will still lead to measurable changes in both. This is highlighted in the fact that while many lambic-like beers have been brewed in other parts of the world, and are often very similar to lambic itself, they still possess noticeably different sensory characteristics. This can be likened to terroir in wine, as the local microbiome in one location will produce a similar, but not identical, product to that in another location.