Lambic Beers - 藍比克啤酒
Up to the beginning of the century, Brussels and its region had hundreds of breweries that produced Lambic. Today, at the opening of the third millennium, there are only two in the Capital of Europe, and in the entire region the number only reaches about a dozen.
Lambic, which takes its name from Lembeed in the Brabant Flamand, is the base of all the Gueuzes, Krieks and their derivatives. Created from an incestral recipe (dating from Roam times according to some, while others point to documentation ancient enough from the XVIth century), Lambic is composed of +/- 65 % malted barley and +/- 35 % un-malted wheat. It is brewed with heirloom hops, aged 2 to 3 years, to play the role of a preservative. During it's "cooking", lasting 6 hours, a portion of the aged hops is added. It is brewed in the winter months (October to March) since the air-borne micro-organisms are free of harmful bacteria during this time.
After it is mashed, the open fermentation vats are exposed to the ambient air via holes pierced in their covers. Difficult to drink in this state, due to its high acidity, the Lambic matures for a period (from several weeks to up to three years) in wooden casks before appearing in our glasses. Contrary to most other beers, Lambic forms absolutely no head.
Gueuze: Nicknamed the "Champagne of Brussels", Gueuze is an assemblage of Lambics of different ages and characters. During the mixture, the unassimilated sugars of the younger beers provoke a second fermentation of the whole, which when exhausted, leave tiny "Champagne" bubbles, creating an entirely different beverage. Lambics of three to five different vintages are required to produce a good Gueuze. As a short history, consider that this beer takes its name from the Gueux, during the reign of Philippe II. It is also one of the only beers available for diabetics because it is completely free of sugars.
Faro: Faro is a light beer ( also produced in the winter), made from Lambic with too high an acid content to be drunk and water; this is sweetened with sugar syrup. A very fine specialty of Brussels, Faro was popular in the time of Breughel. As in other cases the appearance of bottom fermented beers sounded the death knell for this traditional beer, although the recent resurgence of interest in specialty breweries has allowed it to reappear in our taverns. It must be drunk while young, and keeps no more than a couple of weeks.
Kriek and other Fruit Lambics: Kriek is prepared from young Lambic and fresh cherries "from the north" (originally coming from Schaerbeek near Brussels), mashed into the oak casks and giving the beer a beautiful reddish colour. For the preparation, a minimum of 50 kg of fruit is required per 250 liters of Lambic. The raspberry, and to a certain degree black-currant, are produced in a similar manner but with slightly mor fresh fruit than for the Kriek. Another important note, a true Kriek is prepared with a base of only Lambic, which signifies that the region of production should respect the same geographical limits as for the Lambic.
另一種最具比利時文化代表性的啤酒是藍比克啤酒(Lambic)，只有布魯塞爾及珊妮山谷（Senne Valley）才有生產，也是目前世界上唯一仍經自然發酵釀造而成的啤酒。藍比克啤酒通常含有30％到40％未發芽小麥，自然發酵過程較長，一般年輕的青啤約需三到六個月，成品稱為Gueuze，也是許多比利時美食餐廳，調配佳肴時不可缺的法寶﹔而成熟的啤酒則約需六到九個月釀製期。其製作過程是將「麥汁」放置在冬天的冷空氣一晚，讓野生酵母菌和微生物混入後，開始了發酵的過程。這樣的啤酒通常會被放在一個大橡木桶，保存至少三年後才裝瓶，而栓上軟木塞的成品可以保存二十多年之久，也就是所謂的「香檳啤酒」，其口味酸而沒有苦澀味，與一般啤酒截然不同。而最讓女性無法抵抗的啤酒則屬Faro、Kriek等等添加水果釀造的啤酒，多以Lambic為基調調製，比方說Kriek就是櫻桃口味的啤酒，而覆盆子（Framboise）、水蜜桃(Pecheresse)，藍莓(cassis)等等水果味啤酒，絕對會顛覆一般女性對啤酒苦澀的刻板印象，酒精度不高，嘗起來微酸微甜，倒在杯子裡觀賞，可以看到許多跳躍的上升氣泡，在悶熱夏日裡喝來令人心情愉悅。
Lindemans Faro
Lindemans Gueuze: 5 %
Lindemans Gueuze offers a weak head that doesn't hold long, its release of gasses is weak while itsnose is fruity and sweet. Otherwise, its taste evokes little of a Lambic, and is closer to a Faro with its level of sugars and its absence of bitterness.
Lindemans Cassis
Lindemans Framboise: 3,5 %
Lindemans Framboise presents a beautiful red brown body and develops a weak head that is short lived. There is almost no release of gasses. In the nose, one discovers fruit (raspberry) and sweetness (syrup). The taste is very sweet and acidic. There are notes of candy, wood and tobacco. There is almost no flavour of Lambic and it develops no bitterness.
Lindemans Kriek: 4%
A beautiful deep red body, a head compact but weak, rosy and short-lived, as well as a weak release of gasses sums up the visual qualities. In the nose, on finds fruity (cherry) and sugary (syrup) accents. Very sweet in flavour, it is also acidic and brings up cherry and fruit stone elements. It has a very little flavour of Lambic, is very sugary and offers no bitterness.
Lindemans Pecheresse
Mort Subite Gueuze: 4,5%
This Lambic aged in oak barrels presents a dark blond colour slightly coppery. The bubbles are abundant, there is little head and even less bitterness. Its flavour is acidic with notes of green apple.
Mort Subite kriek: 4,5%
Kriek (Cherry) presents a nice compact head, short lived, and a strong red colour. It has a nose of Lambic, is sweet and acidic. The aromas are fairly complex, with touches of vanilla, candy almond and cherry pit. In the mouth, it is above all the cherry, Lambic and a certain acidity that compose its flavour, finishing on an acidic note. The release of gasses of substantial.
Mort Subite Framboise: 4,5 %
The Framboise (Raspberry) offers a beautiful light head, a rosy colour and abundant bubbles. To the nose, it releases aromas of Lambic and raspberry. With an impression of acidity, it nonetheless develops a nice flavour of raspberry, which dissipates quickly, leaving in its place a finish composed of Lambic and a relatively pronounced flavour of artificial raspberry.
Mort Subite Peche: 4,5 %
Timmermans Gueuze: 5,5 %
This is a coppery blond, lightly clouded presenting a considerable release of gases and an abundant head that is short lived. In the nose, one can easily discern Lambic, woody notes, a complex fruitiness and accents of green apple. In the mouth, it is full, round, and offers a balanced acidity with characteristics similar to its nose. It also lingers in the mouth.
Timmermans Kriek: 5 %
A bright red colour with its slightly pink head, it presents the typical Kriek Taste, that is: nuts, wood, acidity and cooked vegetables. It is sweet enough in the mouth then develops a pronounced acidity while the cherries are well preserved.
Timmermans Cassis
Timmermans Framboise: 5 %
A red body and a pink head make up its look. It develops an acidic and sugary scent, a touch of cooked vegetable, wood and above all raspberry. In the mouth, it is acid, sweet, and tannic.
