Cantillon

Lambic and the spontaneous fermentation

From Cantillon's Website

Cantillon Brewery

I am Mimi, the little mouse. The brewery doesn't have any secrets for me, so follow me and I'll tell you about the beers which are made here.

I am fond of wheat and barley grains, so I am probably the best guide to introduce you to these great beers : Gueuze, Kriek, Faro, etc.

Traditional Lambic is made according to the following rules:

Ingredients:

raw wheat 35% malted barley 65% dried hops (three years old) : 5 g per liter of beer

Process:

brewing (from 45°c up to 72°c) collecting the wort by filtering boiling and hopping in the boilers cooling down in the cooling tun, in contact with the open air natural infection of the wort by wild ferments (bacteria and yeasts) pumping the wort at a temperature of 18°c into oakwood or chestnutwood barrels spontaneous fermentation, visible in the beginning, slow afterwards transformation of all the sugars within three years

Looks of Lambic:

Still beer, cereals wine. During the fermentation, the carbon dioxide escapes through the wood and as a result does not saturate the beer.