One of the most influential and time consuming styles of beer is now coming to fruition in Michigan's own backyard. Lambic, a style created and perfected in Belgium is controlled spontaniety at its best. Traditionally, ales and lagers are fermented with specific strains of cultivated and cultured yeasts. Many of these are available to the local homebrewer, and many others are created, shaped, and confined specifically for breweries own personal use. Lambics, are created in nearly opposite fashions. They are allowed to cool openly, over many hours, which allows the introduction of wild yeasts and bacteria from the open air (rahter tahn ales and lagers being cooled rapidly in closed containers). The air isn't the only contributer, however, as time, exposure, and research has revealed that a brewers environment, or "kitchen", so to speak, has much to contribute to the shape of things to come. Much of the bacteria needed to produce a Lambic resides in the vessels (or casks) that are used to store them. Up to 86 microorganisms have been identified in lambic beer, the most significant being Brettanomyces bruxellensis, or Brett. These yeasts and organisms are sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow moving, meaning that years and years are needed to shape and mature this style, which styles include Lambic (pure), Mars, Geueze, Faro, Kriek, and Fruit.
Lambics have very distinctive flavors: dry, vinous, and cidery, with a slightly sour to tart aftertaste.
Well, enough of the awesomely boring stuff, and on to the taste. The most frequent Lambic style I can refer you to is Lindemon's Framboise, with the most popular being their Raspberry Lambic. Thankfully In Michigan Jolly Pumpkin hs become one of the very few breweries to experiment with the patience required in the Lambic style. Lambicious Dexterius will be released on New Years eve at the breweries, and very limited, but attainable amounts will be available shortly there after at your favorite specialty supplier.
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