What is Lambic?
Lambic is a traditional Belgian sour beer spontaneously fermented by wild yeasts and bacteria native to the Pajottenland region and Brussels. Unlike most beers brewed with controlled yeast strains, lambic relies on ambient microorganisms, giving it a distinctive tart, funky, and complex profile. It is frequently aged in oak, blended across vintages, and sometimes flavored with fruits or botanical infusions.
What is Kriek Lambic?
Kriek is a style of fruit lambic made by macerating cherries (traditionally Oudenaarde or Schaerbeek varieties) in aged lambic. The cherries add sweetness, aroma, and color while fermenting sugars from the fruit further with the base lambic. The result ranges from bright and fruity to deeply tart, depending on the producer and aging.
What does "Lambic Stange" mean?
"Stange" refers to the small, narrow glass traditionally used to serve certain lambics in Belgium (a tall, slender glass about 200–250 ml). You might also hear "lambic stange" when discussing how a particular lambic is served or presented in bars and cafés that preserve historic serving customs.
How is Lambic Different from Other Beers?
- Fermentation: Spontaneous / wild fermentation vs. cultured brewer's yeast.
- Aging: Often aged for months or years in oak barrels and blended across ages.
- Flavor: Sour, funky, barnyard, and complex—often with fruit or herbal notes.
Is There a Lambic Beer Recipe?
Making traditional lambic at home is challenging because it depends on local wild yeasts and long aging. A simplified overview:
- Mash a grist heavy on pilsner malt with a portion of raw wheat (some recipes use 30–40% wheat).
- Boil with minimal hopping (old-school lambic uses aged hops for preservation, not aroma).
- Cool the wort in an open cooled vessel (coolship) to allow inoculation by local microflora.
- Transfer to oak barrels and age for 1–3+ years, blending young and old lambics for balance.
- For fruit styles, macerate fruit (e.g., cherries for kriek, rhubarb for rabarber) in aged lambic for several months, then bottle-condition.
Note: homebrewers often approximate lambic flavors with mixed fermentations using Brettanomyces and lactobacillus in controlled environments rather than true spontaneous fermentation.
Where to Buy Lambic Beer?
Genuine lambics are most commonly found from Belgian producers (gueuzeries and fruit lambic houses) and select specialty shops. Look for:
- Specialty beer stores with a Belgian sour section.
- Online retailers that ship craft and import beers (check local import rules).
- Direct from smaller farm producers and gueuzeries—many bottle limited or seasonal releases.
If you want to try a rhubarb-style lambic that highlights farm-grown ingredients, consider sampling offerings made with local rhubarb varieties and herbal infusions—these showcase a bright tartness and fresh aromatics that differ from cherry or raspberry lambics. A recommended example of this approach is available here:
Why Try a Rhubarb (Rabarber) Lambic?
Rhubarb lambics pair the sour complexity of lambic with vegetal-tart notes of rhubarb and often subtle herbal lifts (for example, verbena). When produced on a small farm, using multiple rhubarb varieties and on-site fermentation and bottling, the result can be vivid, precise, and highly terroir-driven.
Serving Tips
- Serve cool, not ice cold, in a tulip or a narrow stange-style glass to concentrate aromas.
- Pair with goat cheese, seafood ceviche, light salads with citrus, or fruit-based desserts.
- Because many lambics are bottle-conditioned, pour gently, leaving yeast lees behind unless you want a more complex, yeasty profile.
Final Note
Exploring lambic styles—from kriek to rabarber—reveals how fruit and herbs can transform a traditional sour base into expressive and memorable beers. If you appreciate nuanced acidity, rustic funk, and farm-driven ingredients, try several producers and vintages to discover your favorites.
