Lambic.. Good to go. What next ?

[tazman1967]

Looking for some advice on my Lambic..
It's been in a glass Demi for a year, now I'm undecided on which way to go ?
Pedicule has dropped, FG has been reached, looks good to go.. total volume is 23L
Options ?

 

[Rowy]

Get onto Manticle as quickly as you can!

 

[tazman1967]

Sneaky taste tomorrow, see how it tastes, like to put some on fruit for Summer, but this is all a learning curve for me.

 

[Rowy]

Sneaky taste tomorrow, see how it tastes, like to put some on fruit for Summer, but this is all a learning curve for me.

Raspberries?

 

[Bizier]

Can you list your process and tasting notes please?
Does it taste more toward a commercial example?
What do you want out of it? Traditional lambic/fruit lambic, gueuze, modern sour, other?

This will help with any advice you are after.

 

[tazman1967]

Yeah, thinking, 5L rasberries, 5L strawberries, 5 litres blueberries, and the rest to blend later for a gueuze.

 

[Rowy]

Yeah, thinking, 5L rasberries, 5L strawberries, 5 litres blueberries, and the rest to blend later for a gueuze.

I've read on here you need a shedload of blueberries. Florian has used them with great success though.

 

[Bizier]

I would skip the strawberries in favour of another fruit.

I watched this video series from the "Lambic Summit" in Phillidephia, where I think I remember strawberries being mentioned, Frank Boon says wild cherries from Poland are the business. I have used maraschino cherries to decent effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4i1fyYqIlM

 

[tazman1967]

Thanks Bizier for your reply..
Will post later after tasting..
Im a noob to these styles so as I said, im on a learning curve.

Recipe;;

OG: 1051
FG : 1013
IBU : 4
Colour : 6.3 EBC
Est ABV: 4.8

Dingermans Pilsner 3.1 K
Wheat flaked 1.7 K
Hallertauer 5.2 AA 5g (aged 1 year)
Malt Extract 100g 5min (boil)
1 pkt Belgian Lambic Blend

 

[tazman1967]

Yeap, Cherries was up on my list.. I love Krieks
Thanks Bizier for the link..

 

[Bizier]

My old man has a plum tree that I think grew from seed, they are this bright red, about the size of a really large cherry, though oval, and have a very hard, very sour and tannic skin and a pale sweet flesh. I reckon that they would be totally ace in a sour beer.

 

[Goldenchild]

Looking for some advice on my Lambic..
It's been in a glass Demi for a year, now I'm undecided on which way to go ?
Pedicule has dropped, FG has been reached, looks good to go.. total volume is 23L
Options ?

Gravity may have been reached but the bacteria is still doing its thing.
I would Split into smaller 5L demijohns 1 year old is still fairly young for lambic
Age some in/with oak?
Brew a fresh batch and blend at a future date for gueuze?
Trade some with other brewers for a blended lambic/gueuze?
Wait till a certain fruit is close to its end of season for a fruit beer. I ended up with some nice cherrys last year from memory for around $5kg.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

OG: 1051
FG : 1013

Seems quite high for that yeast blend. Are you sure its finished?

 

[tazman1967]

i'm also going to do another Lambic asap, blending over the years is the key for a good Gueuze.

 

[tazman1967]

I'll take a FG tomorrow, looks done n dusted.
Pedicule has gone, surface is cleared.

 

[Goldenchild]

Seems quite high for that yeast blend. Are you sure its finished?

I agree i had overlooked that. Any yeast blend with the bretts should be finishing well below that.

I just pulled a sample on my lambic with the same yeast blend it started at 1.049 3mths ago and it is at 1.008 already.

Most likely different brewing procedures but as no tip states that is still quite high for a bugged beer.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

I'll take a FG tomorrow, looks done n dusted.
Pedicule has gone, surface is cleared.

If you've read the sour beers book, there's a bit about the lambic getting "sick" as noted by a ropey pellicule on top. It says that the sickness can come and go a few times during aging. Is it possible that your pellicule has done its job protecting from oxy, but the bugs haven't finished dinner? I i don't know enough to say this is happening, just putting it out there...

 

[manticle]

I've not made a lambic but I've done a few aged sour/funk beers. If it's in the demi with no exposure to air and you're not in a rush, it will develop further with ageing.

Oaking or adding fruit are not bad ideas.

Best resources I can suggest are babblebelt forum, mad fermentationist blogspot and this piece of gold:

http://www.brewery.org/brewery/library/LmbicJL0696.html

Also tasting and seeing how you like the flavour is a good idea if you can avoid exposing to too much oxygen. That may help decide - leave, oak, fruit, blend?

 

[tazman1967]

Ok... FG is 1.008, I had a sneaky taste. Nice and dry, almost cidery with a nice sour aftertaste.
Going to leave it until cherries come into season. split will be.. 5L on cherries, 5L on French Oak chips and rest to save for a Gueuze.

Cheers for all the advice guys

 

[seamad]

This mob at Yatala have frozen sour cherries, sweet cherries, raspberries etc at pretty good prices, don't have to wait for seasons this way.
http://frozberries.com.au/products-_rest_of_australia.html