What is a Lambic beer?

Lambics are supremely interesting beers, particularly if you had no idea that beer could be this sour and this good. It is a spontaneously fermenting Belgian wheat beer brewed with wild yeast and bacteria that give it unique flavours and sourness. It is a protected style originating from Pajottenland.

It is fermented and aged in wooden barrels (for anywhere above a year), from where some of the fermenting bacteria comes, allowing the bacteria and yeast to develop without much control beyond room temperature. The result is a dry, complex beer with a tart forward profile. They have funky, earthy, cider-like qualities that are a shock to the system if you've never tried one before. But, they quickly become appreciated and are hailed by beer afficionados for their craft nature and complexity.

Varieties of Lambic

• Gueze - A blend of different aged lambics that are refermented in bottle (like sparkling wine) to bring fizz and complexity.
• Fruit Lambic - There are two main versions. Kriek which is made with sour cherries, and Framboise, which is made with raspberries.