lambic

party planning

Beer of the Day: Lindemans Framboise Lambic

Craving a beer with a real sense of place?

Craving a beer with a real sense of place? Look no further than lambic, a Belgian style of beer exclusive to a region near Brussels roughly 15 by 75 miles in size. This style of beer is made in a rather unique process involving no added yeast; rather, it's fermented with naturally occurring yeast native to the air in the region where it's brewed, much in the same way that sourdough bread is produced.

Perhaps the most popular version of lambic stateside is a raspberry-based dessert iteration: Lindemans Framboise Lambic ($12). Fermented in a two-part process, this vibrant ruby-hued brew gets its start as a traditional lambic, with an initial ferment of a mash of malted barley, unmalted wheat, and wild yeast; later, raspberries are added for a secondary fermentation, all in all lasting more than two years. Background aside, what does it taste like?

beer

Happy Hour: Lindemans Lambic

I love Lambics, do you?

I love Lambics, do you?
What, you've never heard of a Lambic?! Okay, well let me give you some background. Lambics are technically Belgian wheat beers, that are spontaneously fermented (meaning there's no added yeast). They're strong in acid and tend to be a bit sour. Once the fermentation happens, whole fruits are added (my personal favorite is black currant, although raspberry is pretty good too), this brings up the carbonization factor and the flavor.

I'm not totally sure how I got introduced to Lambics, but I've been drinking them for years now. I definitely have a thing for the fruit flavors (it's like soda!) and the best part is that there's practically no noticeable alcoholic taste at all. Even though it's a beer, you feel as though you're drinking a wine. A carbonated, slightly thick champagne-y wine.

If you can, definitely pick yourself up a bottle of Lindemans Lambic ($4.99 at BevMo!), they may be too sweet for some, but perfectly tasty for most, and always, always delicious. Many well stocked pubs and bars tend to carry it on tap too. Definitely look for black currant (cassis), peach (pêche) or raspberry (framboise). The apple (pomme) is too murky and the cherry (kriek) tastes like cough syrup.