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During the extended maturation phase, a beer may become "sick" or "ropey", though not all producers get this <ref name="Spontaneous Sour Hour" /> maybe ~1:10 min in? (also Vinnie on the sunday session and maybe lambic summit). This is the result of exopolysaccarides, which some ''Pediococcus'' strains are known to produce. These exopolysaccharides can be broken down by other microbes present in the beer relieving the beer of its "sickness" (this exopolysaccaride breakdown is generally attributed to ''Brettanomyces''). A beer may also become "sick" in the bottle during bottle conditioning. This is likely due to enhanced ''Pediococcus'' activity from additional fermentable sugar, in the form of simple sugars or beer which has not completely attenuated yet. --sources for this--. A beer which is sick in the bottle will generally clear through the same process as a younger aging beer wen given appropriate time.
==Alternative applications of ''Spontaneous Fermentation''==
Much of the above discussion has focused on spontaneous fermentation as applied to lambic and lambic-inspired brewing. Some brewers are applying spontaneous fermentation to yield beers quite different from lambic-oriented brewers. A notable example of this is De Garde, whose entire lineup of beers are cooled in a coolship and don't see pitched yeast <ref name="Beer Temple interview with De Garde">[https://vimeo.com/127084279 The Beer Temple Interviews #264 with Trevor Rogers of De Garde]</ref> (excepting perhaps a bit of pitched yeast in some beers for bottling conditioning). De Garde produces a range of spontaneous beers including beers similar to berliner weisse by warm incubation after spontaneous inocculation <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/814831538545062/ MTF facebook conversation with screenshot of brief De Garde process, May 2014]</ref>. By manipulation of parameters such as grist, hopping levels and incubation/fermentation temperatures, a diverse range of beers of spontaneous fermentation can be produced outside of lambic-inspired beers.
==''Spontaneous Fermentation'' versus ''Mixed Fermentation''==