We have tasted fruit lambics in the past on Movies and Booze, but this is the first time that we have tasted ‘pure’ lambic styles of beer.  Lambics belong to a broader category of beers sometimes referred to as ‘sours’ (the name explains the category).  They are probably among the most unusual types of beer available in two ways – first because of the style of beer, but secondly because they are possibly the most ‘authentic’ type of beer being brewed in the world (defining ‘authentic’ as beer brewed the way that it was ‘first’ brewed, if this could ever be absolutely verified!)

Our three beers for to-day are all from the oldest lambic brewery in the world – Timmerman’s.  Timmerman’s Faro Lambic, Timmerman’s Gueuze Lambic and Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze.

What is Lambic Beer?

When people hear the term ‘lambic beers’ they sometimes might automatically default to fruit lambics.  Fruit lambics are lambic beers, but they are a sub-style of the family.  The base beer that is used for fruit lambic beer is what could best be described as ‘pure’ lambic beer.  Even within ‘pure’ lambic beers, there are various sub-styles.  So to understand lambics, we will first look broadly at what makes a lambic beer a lambic beer.  We will then look at the different sub-styles of lambic, using our three beers that we are tasting to-day to give us a picture of the difference between different sub-styles of lambic.

In 2010, there were just eight breweries that fitted the legal definition of what can be called lambic beer in Belgium.  In the U.S., many breweries brew beers that they describe as ‘lambics’ but should possibly be more fairly referred to as ‘lambic-style’ beers.  The distinction is comparable to the use of ‘Champagne’ and ‘Sparking Wine’ to describe these styles of wine.

Lambic (or ‘lambik’ or ‘lambiek’, if one wants to use the Flemish-Dutch or local dialect spelling instead of the English/French spelling) beers are beers that, legally, have quite specific characteristics:

• ‘Spontaneous fermentation is the key aspect of lambic beers that sets these beers apart from other ‘normal’ beers.  The beer is fermented in wild yeast which settles into the unfermented wort during its storage in open ‘coolships’ (long shallow containers, with ample surface area for the beer).  This method of fermentation mimics what is considered more ‘normal’ in wines and ciders.
• Developing on the first point, the wild yeast integral to spontaneous fermentation gives lambics a classically ‘sour’ character.  This sour character can vary from acetic (vinegar) to lactic (sour milk) to citric (lemon/lime) to acetaldehydic (green apple) character, and beyond, depending on the particular lambic and the blend.
• The location of the brewery for lambic beers is of particular importance.  The particular wild yeasts integral to lambics (Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and Brettanomyces Lambicus) are prevalent in an area in Brussels and around Brussels referred to as ‘Payottenland’.  Some brewers more broadly refer to ‘Brett’ (short for Brettanomyces) as the family of yeasts that cover these two particular yeast strains that are responsible for delivering sour flavours in beers.
• Lambic beers (by Belgian law) must contain at least 30% unmalted wheat and at least 60% malted barley.  Then 10% remaining is at the discretion of the lambic brewer.
• Lambic brewers use aged hops.  While freshness of hops is a core aspect of India Pale Ales, using fresh hops in lambic beers in the quantities that are added to lambics would be counterproductive.  Lambic brewers are not looking for the rich bitterness associated with early hop additions in their beers.  However, they do want to use large quantities of hops to take advantage of the preservative qualities delivered by hops.  Using aged hops reduces the bittering power of the hops used, and imparts a drier hop character more appropriate to lambics.  This allows the sourness of the lambic to stand out as its defining character.
• The best lambics are fermented in oak casks for between one and three years.  While it is possible for lambics to be made entirely in stainless steel containers, and the initial lactic fermentation will happen happily in this form, the results of brettanomyces that is found in wood used for lambic fermentation is that the beer brewed is a more complex, richer and more characterful beer.
• Blending is integral to lambics.  The term ‘oude gueuze’ is now legally defined as referring to a drink made by blending two or more 100% lambic beers.

There is no specific requirement for lambics to contain a specific level of alcohol.  Some lambics are brewed below 4% a.b.v.  Some are brewed in the 6% to 8% range.  Most common are lambics brewed to contain between 4% and 6% alcohol by volume.

Fruit lambics all have their own names according to the fruit used.  Most common are ‘krieks’ (made with cherry) or ‘framboise’ (made with raspberry).  However, ‘peche’ (peach), ‘strawberry’, ‘rhubarb’ and even ‘pumpkin’ lambics have all been made.  These fruit lambics have been the subject of previous tastings on the show.

Specifically, non-fruit lambic beers can belong to one of a number of sub-styles.  Faro lambics are sweetened lambic – sugar is added to the cask to both sweeten and allow for further fermentation in the beer.  With faro lambics, the sugar balances the sourness, and can nudge the lambic in the direction of a fine cider.  The term ‘gueuze lambic’ can be the source of some confusion.  ‘Oude Gueuze’ as a term has been legally defined as a blend of two or more lambic beers.  The ‘oude’ in ‘Oude Gueuze’ would suggest that one or more aged lambics are used in the blend, but this is not a requirement by the legal definition.  ‘Gueuze Lambic’ is often used interchangeably with ‘Oude Gueuze’, and one might infer that more aged lambic is used in the latter.  While a ‘gueuze’ is less likely to have more distinctively sour character than a lambic labelled as ‘ oude gueuze’ this does not have to be the case.

The order for the tasting of our three beers is from easier drinking to more challenging.  An interesting thing happens with lambics.  Firstly, the very first taste that one has of lambic is usually greated with a shock of the sourness on the palate.  The more that people drink lambics, the more that this flavour is appreciated as a quality rather than perceived as a ‘shock’.  Secondly, the character of the lambic will change perceptible from when it is first poured to a few minutes later when it has been allowed to rest and open up.  The beer drinkers preference will be individual – some will prefer the acidity evident in the aroma from the volatiles most evident directly after pouring, others will appreciate more the malty, beer character that comes through after these volatiles have been given a change to disperse and settle down. 

Timmerman’s Faro Lambic – 

Beer Style                                           -  Faro Lambic

Alcohol by Volume                          -  4.0% a.b.v.

Brewed by                                          -  Timmerman’s Brewery (part of John Martins)

Brewed in                                           -  Brussels, Belgium

Timmerman’s Faro Lambic is lambic beer that has been sweetened with cane sugar and candi sugar.  Aromas of green apple and sour apple (acetaldehyde) are most in evidence on the nose immediately after the beer is poured.  The taste of this beer is both sweet and sour, and particularly complex.  Green apple sourness is in evidence, combining with sour pear drops, freshly pressed apple juice, citric sour lemon and sour cola cube sweets.  These flavours combine with champagne-like vanilla notes in the beer.  The absence of bitterness in the beer is notable – sweet sourness is the predominant character.

As Timmerman’s Faro Lambic is allowed to open out, aromas develop into grain and malt sweetness.  The vanilla character is more in evidence, and the acetaldehyde (sour green apple) is more subdued, but still in evidence.  Timmerman’s Faro Lambic will be appreciated particularly by people who understand and appreciate a diversity of ciders – the apply and distinctiveness of the beer is reminiscent of some fine ciders.

Faro lambic is an excellent introduction to lambic beers – the sweetness balances the ‘shock’ of sourness that one might associate with other (non-fruit) lambic styles.  However, the individual’s preference is just that – individual.  Just as some people might start drinking sweet wine, but their taste preferences might develop over time, some lambic beer officionados might find that their tastes diverge towards the more dry sourness associated with gueuze/oude gueuze.

Timmerman’s Gueuze Lambic –

Beer Style                                           -  Gueuze Lambic

Alcohol by Volume                          -  5.0% a.b.v.

Brewed by                                          -  Timmerman’s Brewery (part of John Martins)

Brewed in                                           -  Brussels, Belgium

Timmerman’s Gueuze was released last year by Timmerman’s.  At the moment, the last of Timmerman’s Gueuze is available in limited quantities, and it has been all but replaced by this year’s limited release ‘Oude Gueuze’.

Timmerman’s Gueuze is a blend of young (less than one year old lambic) with older (two to three year old lambic).  On the initial aroma, sour green apple is in evidence again on the first pour, but merging with fresh lemon juice citric.  The balance between sweet and sour is still in evidence, but the noticeable candi sugar/cane sugar sweetness clearly evident in Faro lambic is absent.  More distinct sourness is in evidence on the sides of the palate, and the finish is more noticeably dry.

As the beer opens up, champagne vanilla comes through, and is quite in evidence on the nose and on the palate.  The classic lambic sourness survives through to the beer as it opens up.

Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze Lambic –

Beer Style                                           -  Oude Gueuze Lambic

Alcohol by Volume                          -  5.5% a.b.v.

Brewed by                                          -  Timmerman’s Brewery (part of John Martins)

Brewed in                                           -  Brussels, Belgium

This year, Timmerman’s have released a limited edition Oude Gueuze.  The first notable difference with this beer as compared to the Faro and the Gueuze is the absence of a Best Before Date on the bottle.  Oude Gueuze can be aged, and will develop in character for up to and over twenty years.

Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze steps up the intensity of sourness, and is what some might describe as a ‘classically lambic’ beer.  The green apple in evidence in the previous two beers is still in evidence on the aroma.  This combines with ripe fruit flavours – ripe banana most noticeably in evidence together with ripe apricot, peach nectarine.  Vanilla is in evidence on the aroma.

Sour is the first thing that springs immediately to mind when tasting this beer, but sour on so many levels.  Acetaldehyde (green apple) combines with acetic (vinegar) and lactic (sour milk).  This develops further into sour pear/pear drops and sour cola cubes.  The finish of Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze is particularly dry – the sugar sweetness most evident in the Faro and evident to a lesser extent in the Gueuze is almost completely absent.  The dry finish is tongue puckering, and as it accompanies the sourness of the beer, it serves to accentuate this sourness.  In fact, if one plays games and allows the beer to slide over the sides of the tongue (the parts of the tongue most associated with detecting sour flavours) the sourness in this beer can be eye-wateringly, tongue puckeringly, intensely sour.

Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze is an incredible beer – massively complex, full of character, rich and distinctive.  In some cases, people describing beer default to ‘crisp and refreshing’ to describe a beer with little character.  Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze is crisp and refreshing, but this is after it is superby and delectably complex with layers upon layers of finesse in the beer.  An Oude Gueuze is not to everyone’s taste, and if one starts with an Oude Gueuze and is frightened away by it, they should consider taking a step back and chancing a taste of Faro.  Moreover, appreciation of sour beers develops over time.  The first time people taste a sour beer, they are often shocked by it.  When they taste it the second time, it is not unusual for the reaction to be ‘I remember this to be more shocking’.

For people who come to appreciate lambic, they will have come to appreciate how delectable, delicious and wonderfully interesting beers such as Timmerman’s Oude Gueuze Lambic is. 

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