Lambic

My recipe for lambic is right out of any book you’ll find on the subject.

34% Raw Wheat

66% Pilsner Malt

1-4oz aged (cheesy) hops per 5 gallon batch you’re brewing. (The last batch I used were from the 2001 harvest.)

I use the turbid mash method described in the sub-page of this section. One can make perfectly tasty brew without doing a turbid mash, I simply enjoy taking my time and sticking with tradition for a brew that is going to age this long – and I’m also making 50 gallons for my barrels when I do – so I don’t mind an extra 4-5 hours once or twice a year. It is really helpful to have an extra pair of hands, depending on your brewing skill set.

After turbid mashing, boil your wort for 2-5 hours. You should have about 160% of what you are shooting for, so the time is necessary to concentrate your wort. I use a hop bag for all the hops that will be going into this beer. Cheesy hops don’t impart bitterness, flavor, or aroma – they are simply there to act as a preservative. If you don’t have any old hops laying around, you can bake some for 3-5 hours at 220 degF in your oven. It smells great to you, but your neighbors may not enjoy…

Chill and rack into fermenter. I pitch Wyeast Lambic Blend. I do not add dregs of random other sour beers, as I try for some consistency batch to batch.