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Lambics are [[Spontaneous Fermentation|spontaneously fermented]] beers native to the Senne Vally and Pajottenland regions of Belgium. Lambics are made from barley malt and unmalted wheat (30-40%) and aged hops. They form the base of a number of lambic products including unblended lambic, [[gueuze]],fruit lambics including kriek and framboise, and faro. Lambic (and the lambic products Gueuze and Kriek) labeled 'Oude' or 'Vielle' are protected in the EU and are required by law to meet certain conditions including average age, minimum OG, max pH, max bitterness, max isoamyl acetate level <ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/registeredName.html?denominationId=739 EU law for Oude or Vielle lambic and gueuze]</ref>. In practice the presence or absence of this term can help the consumer determine which products will likely be back-sweetened and which will be traditional, though some notable producers do not follow this nomenclature.

Lambic grist is composed of a barley malt such as pilsner malt and a large percentage of unmalted wheat (30-40%). This grist is carried through a multi-step, labor -intensive mashing process known as a [[Turbid Mash|turbid mash]]. During turbid mashing, a portion of unconverted starchy wort is removed from the mash and heated to denature the enzymes. This starchy wort is typically added back to the main mash after conversion of the main mash and is carried to the boil without full conversion. The starchy wort supplies wild yeasts and bacteria with carbohydrates that Saccharomyces cannot ferment. For more information on turbid mashing, see the [[Turbid Mash]] page.

Eventually, anyone who ventures into the realm of sour brewing comes across the passionately defended protection of Belgian lambic/gueuze. While Belgian lambic brewers assert that lambic can only be brewed in Belgium, there is no question that comparatively good spontaneously fermented beer can be made outside of Belgium. Similarly, production methods employed in lambic (e.g. turbid mashing, using aged hops, etc.) are not inherently tied to a region. However not all spontaneously fermented beers are true lambics, according to the tradition and culture of the Belgian brewers who have preserved this historical brewing practice. And turbid mashing or using aged hops does not inherently lead to mixed fermentation. So this section deals with the ethical, personal, and legal considerations that brewers may need to factor in when determining whether or not to call their beers lambic.

In the EU, the terms "lambic", "gueuze", "kriek", and "framboise-lambic" have some [http://www.horal.be/lambiek-geuze-kriek/juridische-bescherming process-orientated legal protections ] ([https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horal.be%2Flambiek-geuze-kriek%2Fjuridische-bescherming&edit-text= English translation]) through a Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) law, but they do not have regional protectionsunder the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) nor the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)] regulatory bodies in the EU <ref>[httphttps://eceur-lex.europa.eu/agriculturelegal-content/qualityEN/doorTXT/registeredName?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.C_.2016.174.01.html?denominationId0024.01.ENG&toc=739 OJ%3AC%3A2016%3A174%3ATOC European Commission. Agriculture and Rural Development. Publication pursuant to Article 26(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs as regards a name of traditional specialty guaranteed. Legal protections for 'Vieille Kriek, Vieille Kriek-Lambic Beers, Vieille Framboise-Lambic, Vieux fruit-Lambic/Oude Kriek, Oude Kriekenlambiek, Oude Frambozenlambiek, Oude Fruit-lambiek' and 'Vieille Gueuze, Vieille Gueuze-Lambic, Vieux Lambic/Oude Geuze, Oude Geuze-Lambiek, Oude Lambiek'. 19972016. Retrieved 01/03/16/20162021.]</ref><ref>[httphttps://eceur-lex.europa.eu/agriculturelegal-content/qualityEN/doorTXT/registeredName.html?denominationIduri=376CELEX%3A32017R2216&fbclidqid=IwAR3WJKZcTr3IPJvRuWVo4i4ubxMKbrR9lBFu4jolarRp8NSd8wGBsNXDpks 1609718086144 European Commission. Agriculture and Rural Development. Legal protections for Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2216 of 1 December 2017 entering certain names in the register of traditional specialities guaranteed ‘Vieille Kriek, Vieille Kriek-Lambic, Vieille Framboise-Lambic, Vieux fruit-Lambic/Oude Kriek, etc. Beers. 1997Oude Kriekenlambiek, Oude Frambozenlambiek, Oude Fruit-lambiek’ (TSG) and ‘Vieille Gueuze, Vieille Gueuze-Lambic, Vieux Lambic/Oude Geuze, Oude Geuze-Lambiek, Oude Lambiek’ (TSG) 2017. Retrieved 01/03/16/20162021.]</ref> ([https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horal.be%2Flambiek-geuze-kriek%2Fjuridische-bescherming&edit-text= English translation]). For example, it must be a spontaneously fermented product. That means that any beer receiving any pitched microbes (from lab cultures or bottle dregs) cannot be called lambic. Although this has no legal binding outside the EU, this is a fundamental characteristic of lambic and any brewer who decides to call their beer lambic should follow spontaneous fermentation. Belgian lambic brewers also insist that these terms should be reserved for spontaneously fermented beers in Belgium (note that the TSP TSG rules do not make a legal requirement for this in the EU). Some lambic brewers claim that the microbial terroir within Belgium is what gives Belgian lambic its unique flavor profile, and this is another reason that lambic can only be brewed in Belgium. However, studies have shown that American coolship beers brewed at Allagash in Maine, USA, contain a very similar set of genera and fermentation phases (see [[Spontaneous_Fermentation#Microbial_Succession_During_Fermentation|Spontaneous Fermentation]] and [http://www.lambic.info/Culture_vs._Chemistry#Terroir lambic.info] for more information). Lambic producers have made it clear that while they encourage others to spontaneously ferment, they do not approve of the use of the term lambic for beers made outside of Belgium <ref>[http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/membersarchive/sourhour2015_05_wildfriendship.mp3 The Sour Hour Episode 11 with Rob Tod and Jason Perkins from Allagash, Jean Van Roy from Cantillon, and Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River]</ref>(~20 min in). While lambic has no legal protection outside of the EU and EU laws do not give lambic a regional designation (unlike other alcoholic products such as Champagne and Kölsch), many brewers outside of Belgium chose not to call their spontaneous beers lambic out of respect for the Belgian lambic tradition. Some brewers choose names alluding to lambic such as Sonambic (Russian River) or label their spontaneously fermented beers with the term Coolship (Allagash) to convey to consumers that their lambic-inspired beers are spontaneously fermented and follow parts of the lambic tradition without actually using the terms lambic or gueuze <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUa0QH6niiQ Sour Beer Panel, Firestone Walker International Beer Fest] </ref> (~6 min in).

There are also arguments that are contrary to the idea that only spontaneous beer brewed in Belgium should be labeled as "lambic" or "gueuze". For example, this includes [http://phdinbeer.com/2014/07/27/beer-pendantry-1-what-is-lambic/ Matt Humbard's argument that lambic brewers themselves aren't upholding their own traditions], and that "if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is a duck, regardless of what nest it was in when the egg hatched." Another example is that [http://www.funkfactorygeuzeria.com/p/about-me.html Funk Factory Gueuzeria also makes an argument] for using the term "American Lambic" for it's spontaneously fermented beers.

Recommended MTF threads which include comments from many commercial brewers, including Pierre TilquinSee also:* [https://horal.be/en/traditional-lambic-beers/ HORAL's overview of the lambic TSG law.]

Noticeably, homebrewers tend to have a habit of calling any homebrewed blond sour beer a "lambic". This might stem from a lack of education about Belgian lambic and why many people respect the wishes of Belgian lambic brewers to not use the label of "lambic" for beer brewed outside of Belgium, as well as the BJCP Guidelines. However, the BJCP makes no claim that regioanl regional protections and appellations should not be respected, and clearly states that the style guidelines are strictly for competition purposes only. In fact, for the sake of competition, every beer style should have the word "-style" appended to it, but that would be rather redundant from a competition guideline point of view (see section .iv of the [http://bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf 2015 BJCP Guidelines]).

As with the naming of commercial beers as "lambic" or "gueuze", there are many opinions on whether or not homebrewed sour beer should or should not be labelled as "lambic" or "gueuze". While using the label "lambic" is or "gueuze" an easy way for homebrewers to communicate that they've brewed some sort of sour beer, such labels are often harshly criticised criticized by traditionalists in the sour brewing community and connoisseurs of lambic. Ironically, another sign of this potential misuse of the term terms "lambic" or "gueuze" by homebrewers is that when a homebrewer makes a [[Spontaneous_Fermentation|100% spontaneously fermented beer]], they usually will not call it a "lambic" or "gueuze" to avoid it being confused with the typical sour brewing process which involves pitching lab cultures. Successfully homebrewing a 100% spontaneously fermented sour beer is not an easy feat, and great pride is taken by homebrewers who achieve success with 100% spontaneous fermentation. Other homebrewers still choose to call their 100% spontaneously fermented beers "lambic" or "gueuze" because they were brewed using the exact same process as the Belgian lambic brewers.

For many traditional brewers, the term terms "lambic/gueuze" or even "lambic /gueuze style" not only carries a cultural tradition but a specific process as well, so when brewers use the word words "lambic/gueuze" or "lambic /gueuze style" to describe their beers that are not brewed using the lambic process, a simple miscommunication is bound to occur between the traditionalist and the more competition-minded brewer. This liberal use of the term raises simple process questions such as is a homebrewed "lambic" or "gueuze" fermented with a mixed culture product from a yeast lab, spontaneous fermentation, a mixture of wild and lab yeasts, kettle soured then pitched with ''Brettanomyces'', or brewed in a bucket or an oak barrel? For the sake of discussing specific brewing processes, the word "lambic" has almost lost its meaning in the brewing competition world. Process matters a lot less in brewing competitions than it does for brewing and drinking culture. This is an increasingly important point when discussing brewing process considering that the term "lambic /gueuze style" has been encouraged in many homebrewing circles instead of "lambic" or "gueuze", especially for brewing competitions. Therefore, when discussing brewing process of a particular beer, the use of the word words "lambic" or "gueuze" is at the very least confusing and vague unless more specific brewing process information is provided.

That all said, labelling labeling homebrew as "lambic" or "gueuze" has little consequence other than potentially forming a habit that some sour beer producers (and fellow homebrewers) might find disagreeable. We encourage all homebrewers to educate themselves about the production of Belgian lambic beers, as well as the arguments for and against labelling labeling homebrew as "lambic" or "gueuze", and deciding for themselves which philosophy to endorse. The words "lambic/gueuze" or "lambic /gueuze style" might have a totally different meaning to a traditionally minded brewer, while the term terms "lambic" or "gueuze" might have a more generic "brewing competition" meaning to others, and so for the simple sake of communication, clarification should be considered for any in-depth process related discussion.

* [[Flanders Flemish Red Ale-Brown Beer]]