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Lambic Digest #0387
From postmaster at longs.lance.colostate.edu Tue Jul 5 03:11:23 1994
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Subject: Lambic Digest #387 (July 05, 1994)
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 1994 00:30:07 -0600
Lambic Digest #387 Tue 05 July 1994
Forum on Lambic Beers (and other Belgian beer styles)
Mike Sharp, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
Hope this gets through! (ROB THOMAS)
Belgian trivia ("Phillip R. Seitz")
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Date: Mon, 4 Jul 1994 11:44:17 +0200
From: thomasr at ezrz1.vmsmail.ethz.ch (ROB THOMAS)
Subject: Hope this gets through!
Hello all,
This is the fourth attempt to post this message. Hopefully it
will get through this time!
Anyway, I'll get to the points:
1)
There has been sporadic discussion of the phenomenon called rope,
or ropy beer. It seems to me that there is a certain misunderstanding
of the symptoms of this weird affliction. My first attempted post
was going to be a purely "I-read-here-and-there-that..." thing.
However, I now have direct experience of the stuff.
First of all, symptoms of ropiness don't include white scum,
haze or any other stuff you might see when looking at the
fermentation. What I have witnessed (in agreement with Hind,
Briggs and van Oevelen) is that the fermentation looks normal
(as far as this word can be used for lambics), but that the
weirdness starts when you try pouring the stuff. My second
batch is just such a case. The liquid has the consistency of
hot honey (or possibly engine oil). When poured it looks
like a rope (hence the name I guess). Currently it doesn't
seem to be getting worse (van Oevelen reports bottles going solid!),
but only time will tell. I suspect that the very hot weather
we're having here has alot to do with it. The ferments are
at upto 30 degC much of the time, which may be causing the Peds
to mutate into slime formers.
2)
There is alot of discussion about what is necessary for a good
lambic, and what is superfluous, particularly now that there
is a show-stopping example out there (congrats. Jim). My comment
is that however good Jim's homebrew was, we should not start trying
to emulate the techniques used to make it. Even more importantly,
we should take all suggestions and many research results with a
hefty pinch of salt, since the whole process of lambic brewing is
so poorly understood. What seems important now may be taken as
irrelevant later, and vice versa. Hence, the more people doing
different things the better, since this all adds vital data points.
3)
The fruit thing. Jackson has said that cherries are added as early
as 3 months by some brewers, though more usually after at least a summer.
4)
Also, I read somewhere that BelleVue have introduced an
"uncompromising" gueuze on the market. Anyone have any further
info?
5)
Finally, Mike, the gpc technique seems to be the way to go for
sugar analysis. I tried the tlc method and found I couldn't
tell the difference between a decoction mash and the (heavily
simplified) turbid mash I tried. they were obviously very
different by taste (prior to boiling). I still think the
most important part is the first removal, when the beta
amylase is essentially removed.
Anyway, happy brewing
Rob.
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Date: Mon, 04 Jul 94 11:38:13 -0400
From: "Phillip R. Seitz" <p00644 at psilink.com>
Subject: Belgian trivia
Beer plays an important part in Belgian student culture, particularly
the "chope" (pronounced "shop", although the o is a bit shorter), which
is basically yer average beer (Stella, etc.). I'm sometimes distressed
at how many students know nothing of their zymological patrimony
despite the staggering amounts of brew they can consume.
We had to World Cup followers from Belgium at our house for four days
last week, and it turns out that they are very fond of La Chope but
didn't know much about other beers. In a rather drunken farewell party
I offered them a variety of more interesting beers. When we got to my
pride and joy I told them it was my Chouffe beer (a nice 1.092 strong
ale with lots of sweet orange). They burst out laughing. Fortunately
we had another Belgian there to provide some cultural information:
Chouffe is also a slang term for marijuana. Hmmm.....
Phil
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End of Lambic Digest
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