Wild yeasts
Lambic can certainly be called a primeval beer. It has been brewed in the same way for centuries, from the banks of the Senne in Brussels right into the depths of the Senne Valley and the Pajottenland. Lambic brewers do not add yeast to the wort – the mixture of water, malt and hops. Instead, they leave the warm wort to cool overnight in the open air, giving the wild yeasts free rein.
Yeasts such as Brettanomyces lambicus and Brettanomyces bruxellensis spontaneously initiate fermentation. This takes place in the cooling vat: a wide, shallow metal container in which the warm wort cools and comes into contact with the ambient air. Lambic can only be brewed in winter, when the cold outside air naturally regulates the process. Although brewers now have modern equipment at their disposal, the rhythm of the seasons remains a decisive factor.
Farmers’ Wedding
No one knows exactly how old lambic is. But it is certain that the beer has been around for centuries. The oldest written reference dates from 1559, in a marginal note on a municipal account from Halle. It reads: “No one may brew a batch without adding sixteen ‘razier’ of grain, namely six ‘razier’ of wheat and ten ‘razier’ of barley and oats, as has traditionally been the custom.” A ‘razier’ is an old measure of grain equivalent to approximately fifty litres. The ratio of wheat to barley prescribed at that time is still observed today by lambic brewers.
Look at Bruegel’s painting *The Peasant Wedding* from 1567. The jugs on the table undoubtedly contain a variant of the beer we now know as lambic.
From Brussels
Around 1700, the Senne still flowed cleanly through Brussels, with well over a hundred breweries lining its banks. However, with the rise of industry and the growth of the city, the river became polluted and was covered over in 1876. This also led to the disappearance of much of Brussels’ original brewing activity.
It is generally accepted that lambic is best brewed along the Senne, from Halle to Vilvoorde.
Alambic or Lembeek?
Originally, lambic went by all sorts of names: ‘Keutebier’, ‘Meerts’, ‘Hallesbier’ or simply ‘old beer’. The name Lambic first appeared in the 18th century. The origin of the name is not entirely certain. It may refer to ‘bière d’alambic’ – a French word for a still – because many breweries used to distil alcohol as well. There were many of these stills in the village of Lembeek, as the village functioned as a free state where distillers did not have to pay excise duties.
Whether this is true or not, Lambiek certainly has nothing to do with the comic book hero Lambik.
From lambiek to gueuze
Lambic is a flat beer: it contains no carbon dioxide and has no head. It is also distinctly sour. In the 19th century, a few ingenious brewers began to experiment. They blended lambic of different ages, bottled it in champagne bottles and allowed it to undergo secondary fermentation. This is how gueuze came into being. The sugars in the young lambic trigger a second fermentation, whilst the older lambic adds depth and complexity. This process of blending and bottling is known as ‘geuze blending’. For a beer to be called ‘old geuze’, it must consist at least partly of lambic that has matured in casks for three years.
Innovative and full of life
Lambic beers are therefore rooted in a centuries-old tradition, but today’s brewers and geuze blenders are taking a very creative approach to this versatile beer. They are experimenting freely with new brewing techniques and ingredients such as blackberries, rhubarb, grapes, even rose petals and tea infusions. And, of course, the authentic Schaerbeek cherries remain a favourite in traditional kriek beer. Time-honoured expertise goes hand in hand with innovation. Some are seeking out surprising flavours, whilst others are perfecting the classic recipe. Either way, lambic is alive and well, with new small-scale producers keeping the established names on their toes.
Stronger together: HORAL
To protect and promote the centuries-old lambic tradition, a number of producers joined forces in 1997 and founded the High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers (HORAL). This association brings together the lambic brewers and geuze blenders of the Pajottenland and the Zenne Valley and safeguards the quality and authenticity of their beers. Thanks to HORAL, Oude Geuze and Oude Kriek were awarded the European ‘Traditional Speciality Guaranteed’ label, a recognition that officially protects the craft.
The organisation also organises the popular ‘Toer de Geuze’, during which the public can explore the breweries and geuze blending houses every two years. For this occasion, the members collaborate to create the ‘Megablend’, a unique Oude Geuze that symbolises the collaboration within Lambiekland.
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