Lambic
Lambic is a sour beer from the countryside around Brussels, fermented by wild yeast and bacteria from the air instead of yeast added by the brewer. It ages for one to three years in oak and is blended into gueuze or aged on fruit to make kriek and framboise. It is unlike any other beer.
Food pairings
- Mussels
- Goat's cheese
- Fruit tarts
Glassware and serving temperature
Tulip or wine glass46 to 54°F (8–12°C)
What it tastes like
Dry and tart, with lemon, green apple, hay, oak and an earthy, funky note often described as barnyard. There is almost no hop bitterness. Gueuze is sparkling and complex; kriek adds sour cherry; sweetened versions taste closer to fruit soda.
Where it comes from
Lambic has been brewed in the Senne valley since at least the 1500s. The brewer makes a wort of barley and unmalted wheat, cools it overnight in an open coolship, and lets the local microbes take over. Cantillon, Boon, 3 Fonteinen, Tilquin and Lindemans are the names to know.
How to serve it
8–12°C in a tulip or wine glass. Traditional lambic keeps for years in a cool, dark place.
What to eat with it
Mussels, goat's cheese, cured ham, duck, fruit tarts and dark chocolate with kriek.
