Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Lambic Digest #0577
From postmaster at lance.colostate.edu Wed Apr 5 03:38:03 1995
Status: O
X-VM-v5-Data: ([nil t nil nil nil nil nil nil nil]
["6015" "Wed" " 5" "April" "1995" "00:30:19" "-0600" "subscription requests only" "lambic-request at lance.colostate.edu" nil "128" "Lambic Digest #577 (April 05, 1995)" "^From:" nil nil "4" nil nil nil nil]
nil)
Received: by truelies.rs.itd.umich.edu (8.6.12/2.2)
with X.500 id DAA22265; Wed, 5 Apr 1995 03:38:01 -0400
Received: from goodman.itn.med.umich.edu by truelies.rs.itd.umich.edu (8.6.12/2.2)
with SMTP id DAA22260; Wed, 5 Apr 1995 03:38:00 -0400
Received: from longs.lance.colostate.edu by goodman.itn.med.umich.edu with SMTP id AA05434
(5.65b/IDA-1.4.3 for spencer at umich.edu); Wed, 5 Apr 95 03:37:59 -0400
Received: (daemon at localhost) by longs.lance.colostate.edu (8.6.9/8.6.5a (LANCE 1.01)) id AAA11087 for reallambic at longs.lance.colostate.edu; Wed, 5 Apr 1995 00:30:19 -0600
Message-Id: <199504050630.AAA11087 at longs.lance.colostate.edu>
Reply-To: lambic at lance.colostate.edu (postings only - do not send subscription requests here)
Errors-To: lambic-request at lance.colostate.edu
From: lambic-request at lance.colostate.edu (subscription requests only - do not post here)
To: lambic at lance.colostate.edu
Subject: Lambic Digest #577 (April 05, 1995)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 00:30:19 -0600
Lambic Digest #577 Wed 05 April 1995
Forum on Lambic Beers (and other Belgian beer styles)
Mike Sharp, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
The Anarchist's p-Lambic (Todd Gierman)
Number for De Troch ("DEV::FVH")
Send article submissions only to: lambic at longs.lance.colostate.edu
Send all other administrative requests (subscribe/unsubscribe/change) to:
lambic-request at longs.lance.colostate.edu
Back issues are available by mail; send empty message with subject 'HELP' to:
netlib at longs.lance.colostate.edu
Phil Seitz' series on Brewing Belgian Beer is available; the index
from the archives lists individual topics and the complete set.
Start with the help message above then request the index.
A FAQ is also available by netlib; say 'send faq from lambic' as the
subject or body of your message (to netlib at longs.lance.colostate.edu).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 16:25:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: Todd Gierman <tmgierma at acpub.duke.edu>
Subject: The Anarchist's p-Lambic
The header alludes to an "underground" publication that has been in
circulation for many years. Perhaps you, like I, have seen it in
passing. In any event, it is definitely oriented to the extreme
Do-it-yerselfer and those desiring complete self-sufficiency/autonomy.
Many of the procedures entail the cobbling together of reagents from
unlikely sources to achieve more conventional (or unconventional)
results: like obtaining opiate substitutes from baked bananas.
With all the questioning of commercial sources of p-lambic cultures going
on, it seems the The Anarchist's p-Lambic is an idea whose time has come
(pardon my immodesty). If you feel that buying cultures from
commercial vendors is a crap shoot, try this approach (at least you'll
have only yourselves to blame; don't blame me I haven't tried this, I am
only advocating it).
Here's the idea. You really only need three things to accomplish a
passable p-lambic: Sacchromyces cerevisiae for the main ferment, a
souring bug for lactic acid production, and Brettanomyces for secondary
fermentation (superattenuation and production of funk). How do you get
these on your own? Simple. You need two non-lambic Belgian beers that
appear to be widely available: Dentergem's Wit and Orval.
Dentergem's seems to come with a nice souring bug (L. delbrueckii) - just
ask Scott Bickham who has used it quite successfully. I know from
tasting one of Scott's wits that this bug is capable of some intense
souring. The Dentergem's yeast will work fine as the primary fermenter.
Use the dregs to make a starter. Making the starter well in advance of
brewing day will likely improve the souring ability, as it appears that
the levels of the bug vary from bottle to bottle. However, with time
they seem to increase in number. Be a big culture pitcher on this one.
Now for the Brett culture. The dregs of Orval generally contain several
strains of yeast. One appears to be an ale yeast used for primary
fermentation. There may also be some slight contamination with a yeast
that is probably a brewery contaminant (but don't worry about it).
Finally, the dregs appear to contain a really nice Brett culture consisting
of several strains of Br. bruxellensis. Again, grow this culture well in
advance of pitching. Grow a large starter (1 qt) and let it sit for a
month or two. You should then be able to detect the Brett by its odor
(vinous, cidery and acetic).
Make the wort in a fashion similar to that of a Belgian wit (leaving out
the oats, coriander and orange peel), or like a lambid - I am talking
30-45% on the unmalted wheat. Use conventional hops, but shoot for
<18 IBU (you may not need hops, but hey it's hard to completely break
with tradition). The low IBUs allow you to get around aging and/or
baking. Forget the turbid mash, you don't want to spend months waiting
for the Brett to break down starches and converting polyphenols.
However, shoot for a more dextrinous wort than you would with a wit and
maybe a slightly higher SG (1050?).
Pitch the dentergems and allow for a relatively warm fermentation
(low-mid 70's), as this may help the lacto do its work. Once the gravity
gets down to the mid 1020s, pitch the Orval culture (which should by now
have a very distinct odor that is atypical of S. cerevisiae). Conduct
the secondary fermentation as an open fermentation (or semi-open) in a
food grade plastic bucket.
My bet is that the beer will be sufficiently sour within 3 months (but
we'd have to ask Scott to be sure). I think that the Brett will form a
pellicle sooner with a good wort/air interface. This may also improve
acetic acid production and aroma qualities.
There you have it: a p-lambic fit for Rube Goldberg! It may seem like a
real crap shoot, but at least you've gotten to drink about $10-worth of
really good beer - something you don't get with commercial cultures. Moreover,
you will probably end up with a p-lambic that may be no worse than what many
homebrewers produce using commercial cultures.
Todd
------------------------------
Date: 4 Apr 95 16:01:00 CST
From: "DEV::FVH" <FVH%DEV.decnet at mdcgwy.mdc.com>
Subject: Number for De Troch
Can anyone provide the number for the De Troch Brewery? I had the fortunate
opportunity to try a Mirabella Lambic (Chateau(sp?)). This one is made with
plums. I guess it wouldn't sound as cool to call it a Prune? This lambic was
very tasty. I was quite impressed with it. The plum was evident but not
overpowering. The base lambic must have been of high quality.
I'm interested in asking them some questions in regards to the type of plum,
quantity, length of time in the fermentor and any other special practices
they might be generous enough to share with me.
Any help on this would be appreciated.
TIA,
Dirk Houser
------------------------------
End of Lambic Digest
************************
-------
