Annual insane brew - Lambic

[richc]

After a pretty successful Flemish Red(ish) as last years silly beer it's getting round to the time for another 'special' brew. This years target is a straight lambic.

2kg unmalted wheat
3kg pilsner malt

Some heat 'aged' hops, probably Mt Hood as I've got some left over. These will be stuck in the oven at about 120C for 45 minutes then left in the open for a few days. This is supposed to have something like the same effect as ageing for a few years.

Cereal mash for the wheat, technique based on the one in How to Brew.

Conventional 90 minute boil and cooling and then pitch with Wyeast lambic blend and ignore until next year.

 

[unclepumble]

After a pretty successful Flemish Red(ish) as last years silly beer it's getting round to the time for another 'special' brew. This years target is a straight lambic.

2kg unmalted wheat
3kg pilsner malt

Some heat 'aged' hops, probably Mt Hood as I've got some left over. These will be stuck in the oven at about 120C for 45 minutes then left in the open for a few days. This is supposed to have something like the same effect as ageing for a few years.

Cereal mash for the wheat, technique based on the one in How to Brew.

Conventional 90 minute boil and cooling and then pitch with Wyeast lambic blend and ignore until next year.

Looks good up to the point where you say "pitch with Wyeast lambic blend" how can it be Lambic if you are pitching the yeast? I thought Lambic was a spontanious fermentation :wha:

UP

 

[richc]

Spontaneous fermentation in December, I might have to leave it out for a month or two before any wild bugs arrive.

 

[Swift Pint]

Spontaneous fermentation in December, I might have to leave it out for a month or two before any wild bugs arrive.

I'd have thought there would still be some around? Fruit tends to have loads of yeast living on it, so would it be possbile to dose some wort with some fruit - enough to get some yeast but without getting flavour from the fruit?

I've got a Cantillon Gueze in the fridge, so am tempted to try a lambic by pitching the dreggs from that.
Just out of interest, why are old hops better for lambics?

 

[richc]

From what I understand hops are used in lambics purely as a preservative. Ageing the hops removes all the bitterness and flavour you usually want and just keeps some of the preservative qualities. Normally the hops are kept for 2 years or so and then used but apparently you can get a similar effect with heat.

 

[leedsbrew]

Spontaneous fermentation in December, I might have to leave it out for a month or two before any wild bugs arrive.

I'd have thought there would still be some around? Fruit tends to have loads of yeast living on it, so would it be possbile to dose some wort with some fruit - enough to get some yeast but without getting flavour from the fruit?

I've got a Cantillon Gueze in the fridge, so am tempted to try a lambic by pitching the dreggs from that.
Just out of interest, why are old hops better for lambics?

Id be prepared to only ever use the equipment from that beer for sour/lambics again as you'll probably have a hell of a time getting rid of the bugs from a Cantillon beer. bet it would make a cracking brew though.

 

[artiums_enteri]

The wyeast lambic smack pack has a strain of sachramycies, a small culture of pediococious, lactobacillus, and a touch of Brettanamyces. This is a good yeast to make that "funky" beer you seek.